By: Michael Spiers

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

LSU is 3-0, ranked 3^rd  in the country, and last Saturday beat Florida 20-10 in a rivalry game. On paper, things look great in Baton Rouge. But if you really watch the games, the Tigers’ start isn’t as flawless as it seems.

Brian Kelly made headlines after that Florida win for snapping at a reporter about LSU’s struggling running game. He later apologized, but honestly, you can’t blame him.

The offense has been frustrating to watch. Through three games, LSU is last in the SEC in scoring at just 20 points per game and has only five offensive touchdowns.

In a league like the SEC, if your offense isn’t clicking, even wins start to feel shaky.

The running game has been the biggest problem.

Against Florida, LSU barely managed 100 yards on the ground, and half of those yards came on one big burst from Caden Durham. Outside of that play, the Tigers were stuck in neutral.

Kelly insists LSU can run the ball and points to the last play of the game as proof. Sure, one play is nice, but relying on a single breakaway won’t get you through the tougher SEC matchups coming up.

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has had a lot to deal with too. He’s now battling a torso injury and lingering knee issues and is limited on how much he can throw in practice.

Still, he’s completing 65 percent of his passes, but the offense hasn’t looked like the high-powered unit everyone expected with a potential first-round talent at quarterback. If Nussmeier isn’t 100 percent, the pressure on the running game only grows.

The defense, thankfully, has been carrying the team.

Even after All-American linebacker Whit Weeks was ejected for targeting in the first half, LSU forced five turnovers against Florida and played physical from start to finish. Transfer Jack Pyburn and the secondary stepped up big time.

But let’s be real: in the SEC, you can’t expect the defense to win every game. The offense has to start showing up, or the schedule is going to catch up to them fast.

Outside of on field action, there’s been some good news for the Tigers this week.  LSU just landed 2027 quarterback Peyton Houston, the top-rated pocket passer in the nation for his class, and the godbrother of former LSU star Devin White.

He’s the first commit of that class and gives hope for the future at a spot where LSU has struggled to find consistency. With Nussmeier leaving after this season, Houston or another QB recruit is going to have to step up eventually.

So where does all this leave LSU? Unbeaten? Yes. Ranked in the top five? Check. But the offense looks sloppy, the quarterback isn’t fully healthy, and the run game has no rhythm.

Kelly might be right that fans can get spoiled, but when you’re running an SEC powerhouse, just winning isn’t enough. People expect domination.

The next few games will tell the story. The Tigers host Southeastern Louisiana this Saturday in what is supposed to be a tune-up, but the real test comes when LSU heads to Ole Miss on September 27.

If the Tigers struggle there, all the questions about the offense will come screaming back. If they pull off a convincing win, Kelly’s outburst and early offensive struggles might just fade into the background.

Right now, LSU is a bit of a paradox: unbeaten with a frustrated coach, a hobbled quarterback, and an offense that hasn’t hit full stride.

Wins are nice, but the cracks are already showing, and the rest of the SEC is ready to expose them if LSU doesn’t clean things up.