3 reasons why Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels lost to LSU Tigers in Week 7

The Ole Miss Rebels suffered the second loss of the season, and their second loss of Southeastern Conference play, in Week 7 as they fell 29-26 in overtime to the then-No.13-ranked LSU Tigers. The Rebels fell to 5-2 with the loss, while the Tigers improved to 5-1.

While Ole Miss never trailed until the final play of the game, they suffered a gut-wrenching loss. The matchup could have big postseason implications as they fell to 18th in the rankings while their opponent jumped to eighth.

Take a look at three reasons the Rebels were unable to emerge victorious against their conference rivals below.

3 reasons why Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels lost to LSU Tigers in Week 7

#1: Penalties

The Ole Miss Rebels could not get out of their way in their Week 7 loss to the LSU Tigers. They finished with 12 penalties on the day, accounting for 110 total penalty yards. The issues plagued them throughout the game and even into overtime, where offensive tackle Reece McIntyre was flagged twice putting them in a second and 25 hole and effectively ending any chance of getting a touchdown on the drive.

Ole Miss consistently placed themselves behind the eight ball due to penalties that either killed their drives or extended their opponent's drives.

#2: Sacks allowed

Penalties were not the only reason the Ole Miss Rebels often found themselves behind the sticks in Week 7. Their offensive line allowed six sacks, which cost them 33 yards. Meanwhile, their defense was not able to record a single sack against the LSU Tigers' offensive line. The Rebels were consistently moving in the wrong direction, which allowed LSU to remain in the game.

#3: Poor situational defense

The Rebels' situational defense was very unimpressive in Week 7. While they were already battling with multiple errors, they were unable to make the big stop on more than one occasion on the LSU Tigers' final offensive drive of regulation.

Despite a struggling offense that did not find the end zone outside of the second quarter, Ole Miss had a seven-point lead with just over three minutes remaining in the game. They allowed LSU to complete a fourth and six and third and ten to extend the drive. Finally, the Tigers found the end zone on a fourth and five with 32 seconds left. The Rebels' inability to get a crucial stop effectively cost them the game.