Louisiana State University head coach Brian Kelly was visibly upset after his team lost to the University of South Carolina Trojans on Sunday, 27-20.
The no. 13 Tigers were leading by four points with just six minutes left in the match. But multiple errors and penalties in the crucial minutes of the game gave the no. 23 Trojans the win, with Woody Marks scoring a 13-year rushing touchdown with just eight seconds in the clock.
During the press conference after the stunning loss, Kelly was clearly disappointed at the team's performance. At one point, the former Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach slammed his fist on the table in an act of frustration over the loss.
"We had some guys play their butts off tonight and we're sitting here again, we're sitting here again talking about the same things!" the coach said.
"About not finishing when you have an opponent in a position to put them away. But what we're doing on the sideline is feeling like the game is over."
"I'm not doing a good enough job as a coach ... it's unacceptable for us not to have found a way to win this football game."
— ESPN (@espn) September 2, 2024
Brian Kelly says he's "angry" with his team after the loss to USC. pic.twitter.com/vloYGyKDh2
The coach blamed himself for "not doing a good enough job" leading the team, but also admitted that he was "angry" at the Tigers--the first time he's felt this way towards his squad, ESPN noted.
The loss extended LSU's season-opener losses to five years, three of which were under Coach Kelly.
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Why Did LSU Lose?
The Tigers trailed for most of the match, only securing its first lead in the third quarter. Kelly blamed the loss on complacency and making mistakes while they were ahead.
LSU had 10 penalties for 99 yards--most happened during the late minutes of the Sunday face-off--while USC only had six, ESPN said.
On the game-winning TD, LSU was called for a targeting penalty, pushing the opponents to the red zone and allowing them to score with just eight seconds left, The Athletic noted.
Hoping to score its first win, LSU will face the Nicholls State Colonels on Saturday, Sept. 7. at home.
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