Both No. 18 LSU and unranked Auburn are wondering about the home team’s emotional state as the two sets of Tigers prepare to meet Saturday afternoon in a Southeastern Conference game in Auburn, Ala.
Auburn upset then-No. 1 Georgia 27-24 on the road last Saturday, and both Auburn coach Alex Golesh and LSU coach Lane Kiffin recognize the challenge for any team to regain an emotional peak one week after such a significant victory, a phenomenon called “relief syndrome.”
In fact, Kiffin said Auburn’s emotional state was on his mind as Alex McPherson was kicking the 34-yard, walk-off field goal that produced the upset for Auburn.
“I was rooting for them at the end of the game to win, knowing we were playing them the next week,” Kiffin said, “just because it makes it more challenging.
“Relief syndrome is real. That doesn’t mean we’re going to win this week and they’re going to lose, but it’s a real challenge.”
Kiffin and LSU won’t take anything for granted because they know the challenge of trying to win on the road in the SEC. LSU (5-2, 2-2) has lost both of its away games in conference play this season — 32-24 vs. Ole Miss and 35-34 in overtime against Kentucky.
LSU lost its last six conference road games before Kiffin’s arrival this season, giving the team an eight-game losing streak in SEC away games since a 34-10 win at Arkansas on Oct. 19, 2024.
“When you go (on the road), it’s about making fewer mistakes,” Kiffin said. “A lot of times on the road, when you break down your losses and close losses, it’s not necessarily about how many plays the other team makes. It’s more about the mistakes you make.”
In the loss at then-No. 8 Ole Miss on Sept. 19, LSU committed seven penalties, and both teams had one turnover. In the setback at Kentucky on Oct. 10, LSU had seven penalties and two turnovers without taking the ball away.
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt was responsible for all three turnovers in the losses, but he and the offense played their most efficient game of the season in a 31-0 rout of then-No. 16 and visiting Mississippi State last week.
Golesh said he knows his team will be greeted by a raucous home crowd on Saturday. It’s up to his players to stay focused on the preparation process.
“Good win, bad loss, (the process) has to be the same,” Golesh said. “If I’ve learned anything from this conference, like you are just good enough to get your (butt) beat every Saturday if it ain’t right.”
Before beating Georgia on the road, Auburn (4-2, 2-2) defeated Vanderbilt and lost to Florida in its previous conference home games.
“Human nature tells you we’re good,” Golesh said after last week’s victory, “and then you flip on this Louisiana State University team and get humbled really, really quickly — this dude’s gonna run it by you really quickly.”
A comparison of SEC statistical rankings also should get Auburn’s attention. LSU is second in the SEC in scoring; Auburn is 13th. LSU is tied for second in scoring defense while Auburn is ninth. LSU is first in offensive yards; Auburn is 14th. And LSU is first in total defense while Auburn is 12th.