The 4 biggest reasons LSU Football lost to UCLA in week 1

Big plays are still a major issue for LSU football’s defense

LSU’s biggest Achilles heel in 2020 was giving up big plays.

That was supposed to be eliminated with the departure of Bo Pelini, but it looks like it’s still a major issue.

LSU only gave up 260 passing yards to UCLA, but the Bruins averaged 16.3 yards per pass (compared to LSU’s average of 7.2 yards per pass).

The Tigers gave up a 75-yard touchdown to tight end Greg Dulcich. They also gave up a 45-yard touchdown to wide receiver Kyle Philips.

UCLA running back Kazmeir Allen added a 36-yard reception while running back Zach Charbonnet had a 35-yard reception.

The tackling was poor at times. Linebackers looked confused. There were some bright spots (the defensive line played really well at times), but it’s clear there’s a lot of work to be done.

LSU has to eliminate these big plays if they’re going to compete in the SEC. It seemed like every time the Tigers got close on Saturday night, the Bruins answered with a splash play that felt like a boxer landing a haymaker. It’s only going to get tougher when the Tigers start SEC play.