There’s never a chance of rain in Death Valley. Fans hear it before every kickoff in Tiger Stadium. But the Tigers weren’t in Baton Rouge anymore, where the roars of fans continued to  grow louder each week. They were now on the biggest stage they had seen all season, preparing for a game that most people believed they wouldn’t even come close enough to reaching. 

The Mercedes Benz Stadium was encased in gloomy clouds and a steady rain. Moments after fans entered the stadium and found their seats, those dark clouds seemed to find their way in. The Georgia Bulldogs took the SEC Championship game by storm, effortlessly pulling the title from right under LSU. 

It was an outcome that most people expected, acknowledging the powerhouse the Bulldogs had proved themselves to be in this season of college football. Week after week, fans watched as Georgia plowed through its opponents.

Hours away in Baton Rouge, however, LSU fans watched their beloved Tigers rise more and more from the ashes. What was supposed to be a rebuilding year became one where people began seeing glimpses of success similar to what the program had found in 2019. The season didn’t start out that way, though. 

Brian Kelly marched into Baton Rouge with bold statements, preaching that his newfound purpose at LSU was to build a team that was once again worthy of being a National Championship title contender. He stressed, however, that this would take trust and it would take time to build that trust.

“Look, let me tell you why I’m here,” Kelly said in his first team meeting with LSU. “I’m here because I wanted to coach the very best players in the country, that are afforded the best resources in the country, that play in the best conference in the country. I get a chance to work with the best athletic director and president, all in alignment to get to the end of winning a national championship. That’s why we’re here.”  

Those big ideas remained just that, as fans waited impatiently to witness the success the new head coach felt he could bring. They yearned to see Kelly’s plan in motion. 

When week one had finally arrived, any excitement of what this rebuilding year could bring became diminished. A blocked extra point in overtime was what ultimately led to LSU’s first loss of the season. The block allowed Florida State to walk away with just one point more, defeating the Tigers 24-23. Despite the doubts, Kelly continued to move forward with reconstruction, believing that his plan would come to full fruition. 

And then, it did. 

Week after week, the pieces seemed to fall together for LSU. Although sometimes there were still pieces missing, fans started to see that the program was getting closer and closer to being a completed puzzle. 

The Florida State loss was followed by four deserving wins. Kelly’s new culture became more evident. Right when things started to look up, though, is when the team had hit their next roadblock. A tough loss at home to then No. 8 Tennessee made many wonder if LSU would have the ability to compete against the bigger opponents it would be seeing later in the season.

After that 40-13 loss to the Volunteers, doubts once again circled the program. It was after that loss, however, when the magic really started to happen. Offense quickly strengthened when Arizona State transfer Jayden Daniels finally seemed to build the trust with his receiving room that was necessary to succeed. Defense remained rock solid, quickly quieting some of the stronger offenses found within the SEC. 

 LSU faced some of the best talent in the SEC multiple weeks in a row and Kelly’s idea of what he believed this team could be finally started to ring true. Fans saw several nights that were similar to what they would have experienced back in 2019.

The nation watched LSU completely shut down the offense and defense of a then No. 7 University of Mississippi. The Rebels’ two touchdowns they had collected early in the game would be their last scores of the entire game. The Tigers racked up 28 points in the second half alone, defeating Ole Miss 45-20. 

Alabama headed to Baton Rouge as a No. 6 team and left with a loss against what they ultimately found out was a No. 15 LSU powerhouse. Fans relived the night over and over again, replaying the Mason Taylor catch that threw the game into overtime, followed by his catch that gave the Tigers the 32-31 win over their infamous rivals.

Fans finally felt like they were witnessing what many have deemed “Peak LSU Football.”  

LSU headed into its final regular season game as the SEC West champions. It was 9-2 on the season and ranked No. 6 in the AP poll. Many expected that a win against the then unranked Texas A&M would be the obvious ending to LSU’s regular season before it took on Georgia in the SEC Championship game. 

That’s not quite how it went though. 

The Aggies played as if they had nothing to lose, which they truly didn’t. No matter the outcome, this game against LSU would be their last of the season. With guns blazing and Aggie fans ignited with passion, Texas A&M handed LSU its third loss of the regular season, taking the game 38-23 in College Station.  

Heading into the SEC Championship game as huge underdogs, Kelly stated over and over again that no matter the outcome, he was extremely proud of his football team. They had overcome obstacle after obstacle, proving that they could be a heavy competitor.

Though the 50-30 loss against the Georgia Bulldogs in Atlanta was rightfully disheartening, the fact that LSU had gotten there meant more to the program than any trophy or title ever could have. Kelly explained that the loss provided LSU with ample opportunity for continued growth.

“The best team won today,” Kelly said after the loss in the SEC Championship game. “But I love the way our guys competed and they fought, and that’s been the identity of this team all year.” 

Kelly has built up the backbone of a program that previously didn’t have one. The successes, as well as the failures, of LSU’s season have built a foundation that is solid enough to build on for,  most likely, years to come. The head coach explained that the development of the team will never be over; that academics and character hold more importance than any football game ever could. 

“We’ve got to continue to develop our football team, but this foundation is really strong, and we’ll be able to continue to build on it,” Kelly explained. 

Kelly finished his first year in Baton Rouge in historic fashion, pioneering what became one of the most successful seasons that a first year head coach at LSU has ever had. This season was just a glimpse into what he believes this program will be able to achieve.

“It’s a young football team that will take this lesson and build off of it,” he said. “And I’m so excited to have the opportunity to coach them.”