Kiffin understands frustration as LSU's playoff hopes dashed - ESPN

BATON ROUGE, La. — Down five points with six seconds left, Texas quarterback Arch Manning motioned running back Raleek Brown out wide. By the time LSU linebacker Davhon Keys realized what was happening and sprinted out to cover Brown, it was too late. Manning quickly swung the pass to Brown, who caught it in stride and ran 4 yards into the end zone, untouched, to deliver the Longhorns a come-from-behind win 22-21 at Tiger Stadium.

Manning said he'll tell stories about Saturday's comeback years. It kept Texas' playoff hopes alive.

But it was a nightmare LSU would like to forget as soon as possible, as the Tigers suffered another late-game letdown a week after they squandered a lead over Alabama. Their latest loss drops them to 6-4, all but guaranteeing that the Tigers will be left out of the playoff.

LSU coach Lane Kiffin said there were plenty of opportunities to win the game. A missed field goal attempt and three interceptions, including two picks in the red zone, were ultimately his team's undoing.

The Tigers spent big this offseason, first firing coach Brian Kelly and taking on a $54 million buyout. Then, they hired Kiffin away from Ole Miss, signing him to a seven-year, $91 million deal. And then they gave Kiffin a large, high-priced transfer class that included star signees such as quarterback Sam Leavitt, left tackle Jordan Seaton and edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen.

«Fair question,» Kiffin said when asked to evaluate the season based on the level of investment and the expectations to win right away.

«I get it,» he added. «Underperformance, doesn't matter if the games been close or they go down to the last, whatever, six seconds. We were brought here to win, and we need to win more than that.

»Now, also,