LSU's collapse to FSU in opener 'a total failure,' Brian Kelly says - ESPN

ORLANDO, Fla. — LSU coach Brian Kelly said his team's 45-24 loss to Florida State on Sunday night was «a total failure,» after a second-half collapse allowed the Seminoles to run away with the game.

The No. 5 Tigers had a 17-14 halftime lead but allowed No. 8 FSU to score 31 unanswered points in the second half. They had no answers for Noles quarterback Jordan Travis (342 yards passing, five total touchdowns) or receiver Keon Coleman (122 yards, three scores).

The loss marked LSU's largest defeat as a ranked team in a season opener in the AP poll era (since 1936).

«This is a total failure from a coaching standpoint and a player standpoint that we have to obviously address and we have to own,» Kelly said. «I know adversity is always going to strike at some time in this game, and this is our first real piece of adversity that we have to address. I'm confident our guys and our coaches will rally in the manner that they need to.»

LSU had plenty of opportunities in the first half to build a much bigger lead but squandered them. On the opening drive of the game, the Tigers had four tries from the 1-yard line but failed to score on fourth down after quarterback Jayden Daniels was sacked. LSU had another chance in the second quarter on fourth-and-goal from the 1, but Daniels was stopped again.

Kelly said both were «standard fourth-down calls and decisions.» Despite the inability to score from the 1, LSU racked up yards in the first half and led 17-14 at halftime. But after the break, Florida State imposed its will and began to overpower LSU up front.

«The buck stops with me, and I've got to get our football team to understand and recognize that you've got to play this game for four quarters with a mentality,» Kelly said. «We