{
  "id": 8599111,
  "title": "Lane Kiffin's big-game struggles: LSU coach has history of failure when leading top-10 team vs. ranked foe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/lane-kiffins-big-game-struggles-lsu-coach-has-history-of-failure-when",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-20T03:30:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lane-kiffins-big-game-struggles-033048991.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lane Kiffin has struggled when leading top-10 teams against ranked opponents during his head coaching career. Currently, he holds a 1-7 record in such matchups, despite having the ability to energize a locker room and coach an effective offense. Kiffin's big-game failures are particularly noticeable when considering LSU's expectations for winning national championships.\n\nKiffin's most recent loss came on Saturday, as LSU fell to Ole Miss 32-24. This marks his 1-7 record in such games as LSU's head coach. In contrast, Kiffin only had one such loss in his previous head coaching stint at USC, where he went 1-7 against ranked opponents as a No. 2 team. At Ole Miss, he faced a difficult start with a 0-5 record in such games, but ultimately managed a win against Oklahoma during his tenure. Now at LSU, Kiffin has only one victory in ranked opposition matchups, a loss to Georgia in 2023.\n\nKiffin's overall record against ranked opponents stands at 13-26. His early career was marked by frequent struggles, including a 2-7 record at USC and a 0-5 record at FAU. However, he improved at Ole Miss, where he posted a 10-10 record against ranked opponents. Despite these mixed results, Kiffin remains optimistic about LSU's prospects, focusing on greater achievements beyond ranked wins. The upcoming season presents a challenging schedule filled with tough matchups, including games against Alabama, Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas.",
  "summary": "Lane Kiffin's dismal return to Oxford adds to a surprisingly long list of losses as a top-10 team.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "‘Go back to Ole Miss’ – CFB fans go brutal on Lane Kiffin as Ole Miss dominates LSU in first half",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/go-back-to-ole-miss-cfb-fans-go-brutal-on-lane-kiffin-as-ole-miss",
        "published": "2026-09-20T02:17:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}