LSU lost its 2022 season-opening game vs. Florida State on Sunday in about the most heartbreaking way imaginable.
Despite several special teams mishaps — including a fumbled punt deep in its own end zone near the end of the game — the Tigers managed to drive 99 yards in 1:05 of game clock for the would-be game-tying score on the last play of regulation.
Except: Florida State’s Shyheim Brown blocked freshman kicker Damian Ramos’ point-after attempt, ending the game as a 24-23 victory in regulation for the Seminoles:
ONE OF THE WILDEST ENDINGS TO A COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME YOU WILL EVER SEE‼️ pic.twitter.com/5t3gqOXtgu
— ESPN (@espn) September 5, 2022
MORE: Blocked! Florida State ruins Brian Kelly’s uneven LSU debut in stunning fashion
Hindsight is 20/20, but the result of the game does bring up the question: Why did Brian Kelly not elect to go for the 2-point conversion — and the outright win — considering his team’s special team woes in the game?
Reports from Kelly’s post-game news conference indicate the first-year LSU coach did briefly consider going for the win, but considered the point-after attempt to have a higher-percentage chance of success.
Brian Kelly said for a slight moment he thought about going for the 2-point conversion and win, but he really felt like percentage-wise they would execute the extra point.
He circled special teams mishaps as one of the most glaring issues to take away from the one-point loss.
— Shea Dixon (@Sheadixon) September 5, 2022
This is after the Tigers had their second field goal attempt of the game blocked by Jared Verse, who transferred to Florida State from FCS school Albany. Video shows he came in relatively unblocked as neither Cameron Wire and Tre’Mond Shorts got a hand on him:
Florida State blocks LSU’s FG! pic.twitter.com/ZS9iiyRMZx
— 𝗙𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗢𝗪 @𝗙𝗧𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱𝟳 (@FTBeard7) September 5, 2022
MORE: LSU vs. Florida State final score: Seminoles’ last-second PAT block seals victory over Tigers
After the game, Kelly said LSU sought to remediate the blocking issues along the left side of the line. Indeed, video from the blocked point-after attempt shows Emery Jones and Miles Frazier took Wire and Shorts’ positions along the line, respectively.
Brian Kelly says LSU made a change on the left side of its line after the blocked field goal earlier in the game.
Pressure came from the left side on the XP.
Kelly: “That didn’t work.”
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 5, 2022
The issue with the second play was with tight end Mason Taylor, who blocked out instead of in, allowing Brown an unimpeded path to block the field goal.
Either way, those blocked punts have cost Kelly a win in his first game as LSU coach — and given the staff plenty to work with ahead of next week’s game.
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