LSU's Lane Kiffin draws fan criticism after blaming officials for overtime loss at Kentucky

Lane Kiffin's account of a conversation with an official has made LSU's 35-34 overtime loss at Kentucky even harder to move past. After Saturday's game in Lexington, the Tigers coach said a line judge told him he had chosen not to blow a play dead because the stakes were too high. Many fans online didn't believe him, Pro Football Network reported.

The play came in the first half. Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey scored on a short quarterback sneak, and Kiffin believed Minchey's forward progress had been stopped before he crossed the goal line. According to Pro Football Network, Kiffin said the official admitted he would have been heavily criticized if he had whistled the play dead. Kiffin argued that the rules should be applied the same way no matter how big the moment is.

The reaction was quick and mostly negative. Kentucky Sports Radio host Matt Jones called him "Whiny Lane." Other posts accused Kiffin of dodging accountability, and an account that tracks officiating controversies said a public claim like that undermines the credibility of officiating if it isn't accurate.

Kiffin did take some of the blame in his postgame press conference. Pro Football Network noted that he said he was rethinking his decision to punt instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 late in regulation. He also pointed to LSU's turnovers, penalties and missed chances.

The loss extended LSU's losing streak in Lexington, where the Tigers haven't won in more than two decades. It also dropped them to 4-2. In the latest AP Top 25, LSU fell from No. 10 to No. 22, a sharp turn for a program that was full of optimism after hiring Kiffin away from Ole Miss before last season's College Football Playoff. Pro Football Network's playoff model gives the Tigers an 11.2 percent chance of making the 12-team field, and no three-loss team that missed its conference title game has made the playoff so far.

What's next

LSU has a short turnaround and a ranked opponent. No. 16 Mississippi State (4-1) comes to Baton Rouge on Saturday at noon Eastern on ESPN. A third loss would all but end the Tigers' playoff hopes. Even so, the market still strongly backs LSU at home. The Tigers are favored at -365 on Novig, one of the venues pricing the game, and the best sportsbook price on them is -400 at FanDuel. The spread is LSU -11.5 and the total is 59.5. Full numbers are on the Mississippi State at LSU odds page.

Kentucky (5-1) climbed to No. 15 and plays at Oklahoma (3-2) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on SEC Network. Despite the rankings, the Sooners are favored at -233 on Novig and -262 at Pinnacle. The spread is Oklahoma -6.5 and the total is 44.5, as listed on the Kentucky at Oklahoma odds page.

The officiating argument may continue through the week. The most direct way for Kiffin to change the subject is a win over the Bulldogs.