Brian Kelly was so angry after the opening game loss that he threw an angry tantrum at the furniture.
The LSU coach pounded the table while berating his team following their 27-20 loss to No. 23 USC on Sunday night in Las Vegas.
The No. 13 Tigers led 17-13 with six minutes left but allowed two touchdown drives.
“We had some guys play their hearts out tonight and now we're sitting here talking about it again,” Kelly said, pounding the table. “What you do on the sideline is you feel like the game's over, about us not making the shot when we were in a position to make it. I'm so upset about it, I've got to do something.”
“I haven't done a good enough job as a coach. I have to do a better job. It's unacceptable that we didn't find a way to win this football game. It's ridiculous.”
Sunday's game marked Kelly's third start at LSU and he said it was the first time he'd felt anger toward the team. From ESPN.
The Tigers have yet to win their opening game under Kelly, losing to Florida State in each of his first two seasons, but had a great chance to do so Sunday after holding a four-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
But LSU's defense crumbled at key times.
The Tigers first allowed a three-play, 64-yard attack with 5:44 left to give USC a 20-17 lead, but then tied the game with a field goal with 1:47 left.
LSU then went on an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to give USC a 27-20 lead with eight seconds left.
“Unfortunately, when we get ahead in games, we obviously don't know how to control ourselves,” Kelly said. “You have to beat the other team. We had chances to beat this team. When we were ahead, we let our guard down and instead of being focused and having that calm killer instinct, we made a lot of mistakes. It's unfortunate.”
Sunday marked LSU's first game since reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels departed for the NFL, and new starter Garrett Nussmeyer had a strong performance, completing 29 of 38 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Meanwhile, Miller Moss, who replaced No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams, completed 27 of 36 passes for 378 yards and one touchdown pass.
Kelly thought USC had the advantage in that matchup.
“He dominated our quarterback,” Kelly said. According to ESPN:.
LSU also hurt itself by committing 10 fouls for 99 yards compared to USC's six.
The Tigers can at least take solace in the fact that the loss isn't season-ending because the playoff has been expanded to 12 teams, but the setback leaves the Tigers little room for error in the tough competition that is the SEC.
“To be the football team I want to be, we have to eliminate silly mistakes,” Kelly said.
“At the end of the day, we just have to get better at playing off each other.”
