The LSU Tigers head into the locker room trailing Ole Miss 24-7 after a first half dominated by the Rebels. Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford has brought plenty of energy from the Ole Miss fans, and the Rebels quickly turned that energy into momentum as Pete Golding's defense punched the Tigers in the mouth early. Despite the difficult first half, LSU still has 30 minutes to turn things around, and this team has the talent to mount a comeback.
For the most part, LSU has done a ton to set themselves back rather than Ole Miss simply being more talented than the Tigers. Some of LSU's biggest issues can be fixed at halftime, but it'll take a miracle for the Tigers to find answers in this game.
The 3 issues LSU needs to clean up at halftime to beat Ole Miss
Pre-snap Penalties
Moving the ball against Pete Golding's defense is difficult enough, but it becomes an even tougher task when you put yourself behind the chains. The crowd noise has played a major factor, with LSU failing to get on the same page and committing multiple false-start penalties, allowing Ole Miss to bring pressure on passing downs. The Ole Miss crowd isn't going to quiet down now that the Rebels have built a big lead, so the Tigers will need to use halftime to regroup and find a way to get on the same page offensively.
Offensive Line woes
While Lane Kiffin went out and added some of the best offensive linemen in the Transfer Portal, the Tigers have been under pressure all night. Ole Miss' defense has benefited from LSU's offensive struggles, while the Rebels' ability to sustain long drives has allowed them to stay fresh and dominate in the trenches. As the LSU offense starts to pick up the tempo and sustain drives, it should finally begin to slow some of the energy Ole Miss has brought from the opening kickoff.
Ole Miss has shut down LSU's rushing attack
In a game like this where the crowd is a factor, long sustained drives are key in quieting down the noise. Ole Miss' defense has kept Sam Leavitt from breaking off any big plays with his legs by deploying a spy, and the running backs haven't forced the Rebels to dedicate more attention to the run game. If the Tigers can start to pick up more than the current average of 3.5 yards per carry, it'll only help open everything else up.
Having no answers for Trinidad Chambliss
Athletic quarterbacks have always given Blake Baker's defenses problems, and Trinidad Chambliss may be the perfect quarterback to exploit those weaknesses. Chambliss has been dominant, especially on third down, where he's 8-for-8 for 115 yards and two touchdowns. The Tigers' defensive line has to do a better job of keeping him in the pocket, or LSU may struggle to get another stop for the rest of the game.
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