LSU had the lead and multiple chances to leave Lexington with a win on Saturday night.

Instead, the Tigers lost 35-34 in overtime after Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey ran in the deciding two-point conversion.

There were individual performances worth recognizing, but LSU's fourth-quarter defense and repeated penalties helped turn a winnable game into its second SEC loss.

The Good: Jackson Harris delivered as a receiver and passer

Jackson Harris gave LSU two of its most important touchdowns, contributing to one with his hands and another with his arm.

In the second quarter, Harris caught a 10-yard touchdown from Sam Leavitt to put LSU ahead 17-14. In the fourth, he took a pitch from Leavitt and threw a 41-yard touchdown to Roman Mothershed, giving the Tigers a 27-24 advantage.

LSU's offense found ways to answer Kentucky, and Harris was central to those responses.

He finished with six receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown, plus the scoring pass. His impact went beyond catching the ball. LSU trusted him to execute a play that required him to become the passer, and he delivered with the Tigers trailing in the fourth quarter.

That play deserves credit even after the loss. LSU needed a touchdown, the design created an opening, and Harris made the throw.

The Tigers' offense had its own costly mistakes, especially Leavitt's late fumble. Harris still gave LSU a lead it had an opportunity to protect.

The Bad: The defense could not close the fourth quarter

Kentucky scored only six points in the fourth quarter, but LSU allowed the Wildcats to keep reaching scoring range.

Minchey completed 13 of 18 passes for 131 yards in the quarter. Kentucky held the ball for 10:16 and gained 144 yards.

LSU did make stops near the end zone, including after Leavitt's fumble gave Kentucky a short field. Those plays mattered. But two missed field goals also helped preserve the Tigers' three-point lead.

The final possession exposed the road-game concerns LSU brought into Lexington. After LSU punted, Kentucky started at its own 19 with 1:37 remaining and drove 67 yards. Adam Zouagui's 33-yard field goal with 12 seconds left forced overtime.

The offense shares responsibility for failing to finish the game. The defense still had a chance to end it after the punt and allowed Kentucky to move into range.

LSU’s red-zone resistance kept the score close, but its inability to end the last drive cost it a regulation win.

The Ugly: LSU kept making mistakes before the snap

LSU's offensive penalties repeatedly made its assignments harder before Kentucky had to defend a play.

The Tigers committed two false starts, an illegal formation, an illegal shift and a delay of game. That accounted for five of LSU's seven accepted penalties.

On the opening possession, a false start turned third-and-6 into third-and-11. LSU overcame it, but needing a longer conversion was an avoidable burden.

In the third quarter, a delay of game turned fourth-and-1 into fourth-and-6 before a punt.

Leavitt attributed the problems to “some pre-snap stuff with the crowd noise”.

Crowd noise is part of playing on the road. LSU already experienced it at Ole Miss and needed cleaner communication in Lexington.

Kiffin acknowledged a “lack of discipline” early in the game.

That is the issue LSU must correct. The offense cannot keep surrendering yards because players move early, line up incorrectly or fail to get set.

Harris supplied the plays to give LSU a fourth-quarter lead. The Tigers left Lexington with a loss because they failed to protect that lead and made too many avoidable mistakes along the way.

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