Auburn
LSU
AUBURN, Ala. (10/22/2026) — The LSU Tigers walked into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Thursday night and left no doubt, rolling past the Auburn Tigers 38-17 behind a 552-yard offensive outburst and a three-touchdown performance from Sam Leavitt.
LSU outgained Auburn by 281 yards, converted drives into points all night, and controlled the clock for 33:41 in a road win that showcased balance, efficiency, and a defensive front that kept Auburn's offense out of rhythm from start to finish.
How It Happened
The story of this one was written in the trenches and through the air. LSU piled up 29 first downs to Auburn's 16, pairing a 387-yard passing attack with 165 yards on the ground. That balance kept Auburn's defense guessing and allowed LSU to sustain drives deep into the night.
Leavitt was the engine. The LSU quarterback completed passes at a 32-of-46 clip for the offense's 387 yards through the air and accounted for three touchdowns, repeatedly finding answers when Auburn's defense forced third down. Scott Starzyk chipped in 8 points for LSU, cashing in the scoring opportunities the offense created.
Auburn had moments. Hudson Kaak piled up 340 yards and the offense completed 20 of 30 passes for 204 yards, but the home team could never string together enough sustained success to keep pace. Auburn finished with just 271 total yards and 67 rushing yards, and Alex McPherson's 5 points weren't nearly enough to close a widening gap. Both teams converted five third downs, but LSU simply created more opportunities — and did more with them.
On the other side of the ball, LSU's pass rush made life difficult all evening. Jordan Ross brought down the quarterback twice, headlining a defensive effort that held Auburn to 271 total yards. Jared Smith answered with a sack of his own for Auburn, but the defensive battle tilted decisively in LSU's favor.
Turning Point
This game turned on LSU's ability to own the line of scrimmage and the clock. With a nearly seven-and-a-half-minute edge in time of possession, LSU methodically squeezed the life out of Auburn's comeback hopes. Every time Auburn's defense needed a stop to swing momentum, LSU's offense moved the chains — 29 first downs tell that story better than any single play could. Once the margin stretched to three scores, Auburn was forced into catch-up mode against a defense that was getting home with its pass rush, and the 38-17 final reflected a game that had long since been decided.
Star of the Game
Sam Leavitt earns the nod. The LSU signal-caller delivered 387 yards and three touchdowns in a hostile road environment, directing an offense that converted when it mattered and never let Auburn's crowd become a factor. His efficiency on an offense that completed 32 of 46 passes set the tone for everything LSU did offensively. Honorable mention goes to Jordan Ross, whose two sacks anchored a defensive performance that limited Auburn to 271 total yards.
What It Means
For LSU, this is the kind of road win that builds championship resumes. Winning at Jordan-Hare Stadium is never easy, and doing it by three touchdowns with over 550 yards of offense sends a message to the rest of the SEC. The combination of Leavitt's passing production, a functional run game that added 165 yards, and a pass rush led by Ross gives LSU a formula that travels.
For Auburn, the loss stings, but there were flashes worth building on. Kaak's 340-yard effort shows playmaking ability, and the defense generated pressure at times with Smith getting home for a sack. The challenge now is finding more consistency on the ground — 67 rushing yards won't win many SEC games — and turning promising drives into points. Auburn gets a chance to regroup and respond as the back half of the 2026 season unfolds.
Thursday night belonged to LSU, though — emphatically. A 552-yard offensive performance, a dominant turnover of field position through sustained drives, and a defense that made Auburn one-dimensional added up to one of LSU's most complete performances of the 2026 season.
