ORLANDO, Fla. — The last time LSU football played in Camping World Stadium, it broke records with a 63-7 win over Purdue in the Citrus Bowl.
Just over eight months later, the Tigers returned to Orlando, but were on the other side of a blowout, losing 45-24. Despite taking a lead into halftime, LSU was on the wrong end of a dominant display by the time the game ended.
“For some reason we thought we were somebody else,” Kelly said. “I don’t know what we thought, but we were mistaken.”
PLAY-BY-PLAY: LSU football vs. Florida State: Live score updates from Camping World Stadium
Though LSU had the lead at half, the mistakes started early in the game.
LSU was stopped at the goal line on its first possession, and was stopped on fourth down in the redzone twice in the first half. The Tigers had little trouble moving the ball, though. They gained just under 300 yards of total offense in the first half, out gaining Florida State.
Jayden Daniels and the LSU wide receivers were efficient in the hurry-up offense, but couldn’t finish drives. They left a potential 14 points on the field in the first half, and rather than pulling away by halftime, LSU held onto just a three-point lead.
Florida State had its fair share of missed opportunities too. An interception deep in LSU territory, dropped passes and multiple personal fouls on defense illustrated the Seminoles’ first half troubles.
However, that changed in the second half. Jordan Travis found his rhythm leading Florida State to scoring drives on each of its first four second half possessions.
While Florida State found a rhythm, LSU fell apart.
“I didn’t like the way we came out. I sensed that, I felt that and I’ve got to take accountability and responsibility for the way that we came out in the second half,” Kelly said.
The Tigers were outscored 31-7 in the second half, only adding a late touchdown already down 45-17. The defense didn’t have an answer for Travis and Florida State’s wide receivers either.
Keon Coleman led the way. The Opelousas native caught nine passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns. His size caused problems for the LSU defense, becoming a constant target in the redzone on fade routes.
“Excellent ball skills, a matchup problem for us and he presented that kind of problem tonight,” Kelly said of Coleman.
He was the top target in a game that likely put Travis’ name in the early Heisman conversation. He finished the game 23-31 with 342 yards and four touchdowns. He adjusted after a spotty first half, playing a near flawless second half to lead the Florida State charge.
When Florida State adjusted, LSU failed to keep up. The offense stalled. The defense constantly opened up to create big plays and the special teams horrors of last season resurfaced with a muffed punt in the first half.
LSU’s demise was caused largely by sloppy play, struggling to gel in its first game of the season. Florida State showed signs of that too, but the difference was the Seminoles’ ability to adjust.
Florida State simplified its offense in the second half, and LSU couldn’t keep up. Other than taking a knee on its final drive, Florida State scored on every drive in the second half.
All of that resulted in a lopsided final score, and a fourth straight season-opening loss for LSU.
However, losing early in the season isn’t new for LSU. It faced a similar situation after last year’s opening loss to Florida State.
For a team that had SEC Championship and College Football Playoff hopes, it now has no room for error. While this game has no bearing on the SEC standings, LSU likely has to win out to have a realistic chance at a playoff spot.
In Kelly’s mind, the upcoming weeks will say a lot about the team. How they respond to adversity is what he believes will decide the kind of season LSU will have. There’s no longer any margin for error, and in the SEC, it takes mental strength to be perfect for an entire season.
“When you have these kinds of losses, they’re very disappointing. In some instances, they’re devastating losses, but it’s how you respond to them,” Kelly said. “They have a chance to respond to this very disappointing performance in the second half. And so the choices they’ll have to make are the ones that start tomorrow.”