LSU vs. Ole Miss CFB Live Updates, Highlights and Analysis for Sept 19

As Ole Miss fans and players alike celebrated, the Rebels played Garth Brooks' "Callin' Baton Rouge" over the loudspeakers.

That's LSU celebration song, by the way.

Hearkens back to Tennessee playing "Dixieland Delight" when they upset Alabama in Neyland Stadium three years ago.

Pete Golding made several exceptional calls with the game on the line, and he got to gloat at the end as his team celebrated and Trinidad Chambliss jumped in the crowd to celebrate the win.

Golding talked about just how focused his team was all week despite the noise surrounding Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford. "Just so proud of our guys," he said. "They played their ass off."

At the end of the interview with Holly Rowe on ABC, Golding referenced the Ole Miss chancellor and athletic director getting to celebrate the win and sending Kiffin home with a loss.

"I think Glenn Boyce and Keith Carter may have a beer tonight. I know that," Golding said.

On 4th-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Kam Franklin batted a ball in the air that was intercepted by Jaylon Braxton inside a minute to go, and that's going to be the ball game.

What an effort by LSU to battle back, but Ole Miss is in victory formation and going to win a massive game.

You can't spell Lane without an L in Oxford.

Sam Leavitt couldn't make an easy touchdown throw to his tight end, and now, it's down to one play for the Tigers.

Of all the big plays Leavitt has made tonight, what a massive mistake on what could have been the game-tying touchdown.

Still one play left.

On 3rd-and-8 from the 25-yard line, Antonio Kite was called for an obvious pass interference call, and that's a bad break for Ole Miss.

Sam Leavitt's pass wasn't going to be caught, but Kite grabbed the receiver's jersey.

LSU still has life, needing a touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:49 left.

It's all come down to this.

We've reached the 2-minute timeout, and LSU has the ball 3rd-and-8 on the Ole Miss 25-yard line trailing 32-25. It's obviously four-down territory, and Sam Leavitt has been a playmaker throughout the entire second half.

This has been an incredible football game between two hated rivalries with everything on the line. Are there heroics remaining still?

Who will write their own history?

On 4th-and-4, Lane Kiffin felt like he had to go for it, and he let Sam Leavitt run for another first down. Now, LSU is driving.

Gutsy call by Kiffin with the game on the line, and Leavitt just continues to prove he's special with the game on the line.

Yeah, it was easier after the two offside calls, but Pete Golding just went out and said he was going to do all it took to win the game.

Impressive.

Now THAT is how you call a play coming out of a timeout.

Pete Golding and Co. dialed up a brilliant 14-yard quarterback keeper following a fake handoff, and Trinidad Chambliss surged around the left side of the line with nobody around him for an untouched touchdown.

After a second half that's been all LSU, Chambliss led an incredible drive and called his own number with 6:14 left.

Then, following a pair of offside penalties on LSU on the two-point conversion attempt, Ole Miss J.T. Lindsey ran it in for two, and it's 32-24 Ole Miss.

Welcome back, Trinidad!

As we close in on the final 6 minutes of this game, it's important to say this:

We almost never have games with this level of hype and expectations live up to it. But this has been an absolute classic between two great teams with great coaches and great players.

As a matter of fact, following Texas-Ohio State last week, this is two weeks in a row where we've all been excited about a showdown, and college football has flat-out delivered.

God bless this sport.

Direct snap to the running back leads to a first down. The fresh set of downs is massive for the Rebels.

Ole Miss and LSU are tied at 24-all.

The Rebels are facing a crucial 4th-and-1 play from the LSU 40-yard line with 9:21 left in the fourth. If the Tigers stop them, they have great field position.

On 3rd-and-short from the 3-yard line, LSU lined up in a jumbo package but was stuffed by Ole Miss.

Still, with 11:21 left in the game, LSU has charged all the way back to tie this football game.

They were left-for-dead, and Trinidad Chambliss was dissecting them. Somehow, Lane Kiffin regrouped his team at halftime, and they've dominated the second half, outscoring Ole Miss 17-0 so far.

Defensive coordinator Blake Baker has been incredible, too. Brand new ball game.

First, Kewan Lacy had to leave the field and went back in the locker room for X-Rays on his shoulder.

Now, sure-fire NFL first-rounder and LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green is having to be helped off the field with an apparent right leg injury. That's terrible news for LSU's top target.

Both teams are now without an offensive superstar in this slug fest.

On 3rd-and-5 near midfield on the first play of the fourth quarter, it seemed like a play that could dictate who controlled momentum in the final frame.

LSU got running back Dilin Jones matched up on a linebacker, and Sam Leavitt hit him for yet another third-down conversion to get the Tigers past midfield.

Leavitt is now 7-of-9 on third-down passes for six conversions (including a touchdown). He's a gamer, folks.

The tension is palpable.

Everybody is watching.

Ty Benefield was the one who brought the pressure on Trinidad Chambliss when he threw the interception.

Coordinator Blake Baker dialed up the safety blitz again, and the Boise State transfer got to Trinidad Chambliss on third down from the 50-yard line for a 20-yard loss, and now LSU is going to get the football back down by only three points.

This game has completely changed. Lane Kiffin is fired up on the sideline, and now, Ole Miss is searching for any answers.

Sam Leavitt is now stealing the show from Trinidad Chambliss.

He just threw a 26-yard beauty to Winston Watkins Jr. (who played for Ole Miss last year and followed Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge) for a touchdown to pull LSU within 24-21 with 3:05 left in the third quarter.

Leavitt is now 6-for-8 on third-down passes for 76 yards and five conversions. He's finally having some success throwing downfield, and with the game on the line, the Arizona State transfer is proving he's bigger than the moment.

It's a brand new ball game.

Ole Miss is reeling.

This doesn't sound like great news. Hopefully, the star running back will be OK.

Lucase Carneiro has a knack for big kicks, but his 53-yard attempt never had a chance, and LSU has turned away Ole Miss once again.

Carniero's kick started right and stayed there, and now the Bayou Bengals must capitalize once again. It's just a 10-point game, and now they've gotten a turnover, cashed it into a touchdown and now gotten a defensive stop.

LSU has a lot of belief right now. This could be danger-zone time for the Rebs.

It's pretty much been a one-man show for Ole Miss so far with Trinidad Chambliss running the show in a 10-point lead so far.

But the Rebels haven't gotten what they expected from star running back Kewan Lacy. Now, he's heading to the locker room with an apparent injury.

Hopefully, Lacy will be able to return to this game to help his team try to salt away the game. If not, do not be surprised if his absence rears its head in the second half.

If the Rebels can't control the clock with the running game, it extends the matchup long enough for the Tigers to get more offensive possessions. This could be a potentially huge development.

Trinidad Chambliss is making play after play, even when it looks like LSU has him bottled up.

Lane Kiffin is beginning to show his frustration, too.

With the Tigers needing more momentum-changing plays, Chambliss is doing big things, much to the dismay of his former coach. Rebels driving again.

Don't turn the channel just yet.

LSU is back to a two-score game, as Sam Leavitt gets in the end zone for his sixth rushing touchdown of the year to turn Ja'Keem Jackson's interception into a touchdown for the Bayou Bengals.

That momentum-swinger is just what LSU needed to get back in this ball game. Plenty of time left for Lane Kiffin to pull off the biggest comeback of his coaching career.

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker dialed up the pressure, and safety Ty Benefield got after Trinidad Chambliss.

The pressure forced an errant pass, and Ja'Keem Jackson gets a huge interception to set LSU up with some big-time business inside 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

That's Chambliss' first blunder of the night, and it could be a game-swinging play. LSU needs to turn this into six.

LSU's multi-million-dollar transfer portal left tackle Jordan Seaton has not looked great tonight.

Will Echoles has beaten him on multiple occasions (which isn't that surprising since Echoles is likely a very early NFL first-round draft pick). But Blake Purchase just pressured Sam Leavitt, too, forcing a three-and-out on LSU's first drive.

Seaton is having a forgettable night so far. So is LSU.

Trinidad Chambliss.

Any questions?

No, seriously, how do you break down 15 first downs and 7-of-9 in third-down conversions? Senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss had 21 completions and 248 passing yards, extended plays and dissecting LSU's defense.

Coming into this game, the Tigers looked like one of the fastest, most athletic defenses in the country. But they aren't any match for Chambliss.

Also, Ole Miss' defense did allow a long scoring drive just inside the 2-minute warning, but LSU doesn't seem to have any game-breaking players on offense. If the Rebels defense can consistently guard against the big play, they'll win this going away.

It's been lopsided so far. It will be interesting to see what adjustments coach Lane Kiffin and defensive coordinator Blake Baker make at the break.

Oh. My. Goodness.

With 11 seconds left and time running down on third down, Trinidad Chambliss threw a running dart to Deuce Alexander for a touchdown with 5 seconds before the half, and Ole Miss is back in control 24-7 at the break. (Much to Kiffin's chagrin, as the video above shows.)

Remember, Trinidad Chambliss was at Ferris State two years ago. He didn't even start for Ole Miss to start last season until an Austin Simmons injury. Now, the kid is probably the biggest must-see TV player in college football.

Yes, I said it. Sorry, Jeremiah Smith.

With 1:57 left on the clock after LSU's odyssey scoring drive, Chambliss meticulously, methodically drives Ole Miss down the field for a score. Did his heart rate even increase at all? This kid's unflappable. He has 21 first-half completions.

Some hiccups in time management were the only issue, but none of that mattered. Rebs in control.

Dilin Jones barrels in for a score after that brilliant Sam Leavitt run, and LSU caps a monumental 17-play, 75-yard drive with a touchdown.

The score happens right before halftime (just after the 2-minute timeout), but with 1:57 left in the half, that may be too much time for Trinidad Chambliss and Co.

Massive moment for LSU's defense. If they can get a stop here, the Bayou Bengals get the ball first in the second half and can trim this to a one-score game.

Right now, it's 17-17.

Was Sam Leavitt channeling his inner Fran Tarkenton (look him up, kids) here? Or doing his best Trinidad Chambliss impression?

This may wind up being a massive play. Leavitt goes sideline to sideline, buying time and delivering a third-down strike to keep LSU's drive alive.

Now with goal-to-go, the Tigers must capitalize with a touchdown on this time-consuming, impressive drive where they've gotten Trey'Dez Green involved, too.

There's no doubt about it: This is a must-score drive for the Bayou Bengals.

The Tigers are at risk of getting blown out of the water by Ole Miss, and they need to dial up a touchdown now that they're on the Rebels' side of the field. This is the first sign of life from Lane Kiffin's offense as coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. has struggled calling plays so far.

At least three has to go on the board here. Seven would potentially settle LSU down.

This is the biggest stage with the entire college football world watching, and Trinidad Chambliss couldn't be performing better.

He's torching LSU drive after drive. The latest strike was a third-down missile to a crossing Traylon Ray, who took it the rest of the way for a 17-0 lead over the Bayou Bengals.

The party has only just begun in Oxford.

Chambliss is 15-of-19 for 173 yards and a touchdown, but it's how he's dissecting the defense that's even more impressive than the near-perfect numbers.

He waited and hit Caleb Odom on a crossing pattern after getting him isolated one-on-one with linebacker Whitt Weeks to get that drive going. On a pivotal third-down play, Chambliss rolled to his right, bought time, then hit Michael Smith for another touchdown.

Then the Ray scoring strike. This is a clinic.

Right now, the only competition in the Ole Miss-LSU game is whether the Rebels defense or offense can outdo one another.

Ole Miss head coach and defensive guru Pete Golding is dialing pressure from all directions, and he is harassing LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt.

The Tigers can't do anything. Keaton Thomas and Luke Ferrelli are all over the place on the second level, and the Rebels are getting the linebacker play that hasn't been existent so far this year to go along with possibly the nation's best defensive linemen.

This is getting ugly for Lane Kiffin and the Bayou Bengals.

Trinidad Chambliss is dialing up chunk plays.

He hit tight end Caleb Odom down inside the 10-yard line, and then Kewan Lacy would not be denied a touchdown as the Rebels come right back at LSU.

They are straight-up smacking the Tigers in the mouth right now. Chambliss and Lacy capped a 6-play, 78-yard drive with a touchdown, and it seemed like the offense moved down the field in the blink of an eye.

LSU has no answers right now. Zero. And the ABC cameras catch Lane Kiffin with a concerned look on the sideline. Then Lacy with a belt celebration afterward.

Could this be a whipping on our hands?

A couple of beautiful passes by Trinidad Chambliss and a 15-yard scramble put Ole Miss in position for a Lucas Carneiro 38-yard field goal, and the Rebels have an early 3-0 lead.

Carneiro is almost automatic from inside 40 yards in his career (32-of-36), and he also has a knack for making huge, long kicks as he proved in last year's playoffs.

Chambliss did throw behind a receiver after Ole Miss' final first down in that drive, or the Rebels may have picked up an early touchdown. As it was, they moved the ball well, looked a lot more comfortable and turned a 12-play, 59-yard drive into three points.

Then the Rebs force another LSU three-and-out, and the momentum is kind of mounting for the home team. Three drives, zero first downs for LSU.

There was a whole lot of pregame chatter that the Ole Miss-LSU game would be a shootout, and we may very well see that before the game is over.

But very (VERY) early, it's the defenses who are all over the field, forcing miscues, taking advantage of the other team's mistakes and making the offense pay for penalties.

This type of game would be interesting to see play out. Pete Golding is a defensive coordinator at heart, but the Bayou Bengals' D has gotten all the early buzz this season after a season-opening domination of Clemson.

The offenses will get it going, but neither team got a first down in their first series.

As much emotion as there is in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, you had to expect some early struggles from somebody.

Unfortunately for the home team, the Rebles had a long Kewan Lacy run negated by a hold, then Trinidad Chambliss threw a lateral for a big loss. Rebels go three-and-out early, and they'll need a much better effort from their defense than they had in the season opener against Louisville if they're going to have a chance.

First look we get at Sam Leavitt in this game. He appears healthy early.

Let's play some football. Ole Miss gets the ball first, and Trinidad Chambliss leads the Rebels out.

We made it through the pregame without anybody getting hurt. Thank goodness.

There aren't many folks in Oxford who like Lane Kiffin.

Maybe there's only one.

If so, that one is definitely Rebels coach Pete Golding, whom Kiffin hired to lead the defense. Golding is actually a Hammond, Louisiana, native but chose to stick around and be Ole Miss' interim coach last year for the playoffs.

This is now his program.

The two text often, and despite all the noise, they're close friends. They showed it even before this drama-dripping game.

There's always yelling from fans during college football games. But to this level? This is unbelievable.

Princewill Umanmielen is one of several players who left Ole Miss for LSU with Lane Kiffin. He was served court papers related to his departure from Oxford just three days ago.

Obviously, the timing was coordinated. He, too, is a lightning rod for barbs tonight.

If this is about who controls their emotions, it doesn't look like Lane Kiffin is doing a great job of it right now.

(Maybe embracing it will fire him and his team up.)

As Kiffin leaves the field, he chucks a ball into the Rebels crowd toward the recruiting section. This probably won't be the last we hear of this pregame decision.

So, Rebels fans can't throw anything at him, but he can at them? Interesting.

I'll say this for the LSU Tigers: They aren't even trying to shy away from the storylines.

Former Ole Miss coach and current LSU running backs coach Kevin Smith is jawing back with Rebels fans giving it to him before the game. Smith barking back that the best RBs to ever come through Oxford are because of him is wild.

Deuce McAllister and John Avery may have something to say about that, Kevin.

Lane Kiffin has a way with former fans.

Back in October of 2021, he returned to Knoxville as Ole Miss' head coach leading his own program for the first time against the Tennessee Volunteers, whom he so famously left for USC back after the 2009 season.

Vols fans welcomed him by throwing mustard bottles and other things in his general direction.

Ole Miss is trying to keep history from repeating itself with tensions high in Oxford. Wonder if it will be enforced...

We are less than 15 minutes away from probably the biggest spectacle college football will offer us this season, and as you see above, Mississippi is ready for Lane Kiffin's return.

Everybody wants to talk the subplots, and rightfully so. But if you dig down through all the drama, the importance of this game is monumental for both of these programs. That doesn't just go for this year, either. You don't want to be hyperbolic, but beating Kiffin could be the catalyst for Pete Golding's program.

If Kiffin's Bayou Bengals beat Ole Miss, it could kick-start a College Football Playoff run.

The key to this game -- to me -- is which strength wins out? Will it be LSU's lightning-quick defense? Or the Rebels' quick-strike offense? Are we going to have a shootout, or will these offenses be tight.

We're all about to find out. And we'll dissect all the off-the-field stuff in between, too.