Lane Kiffin owes LSU fans more than hype as Texas threatens to bury $40 million playoff dream

LSU face Texas in a must-win game after a heavy defeat by Alabama left the Tigers close to playoff elimination. The article argues that first-year coach Lane Kiffin must produce a defining victory for a programme that generated huge expectations and spent heavily on its roster and coaching staff.

LSU’s roster is reported to cost more than $40 million, while its coaching staff costs about $100 million. Texas, ranked sixth, can strengthen its own playoff hopes with a win in Baton Rouge, where Louisiana-born quarterback Arch Manning is expected to face a hostile crowd; one LSU fan quoted says he is frustrated by the team’s three losses but wants to back Kiffin over the long term.