If you’re checking your phone or screaming at a TV trying to figure out what was the final score of the LSU game, you’re likely looking at one of two very different outcomes from the last few days.
Honestly, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster in Baton Rouge lately. Between a transition on the football sidelines and a gut-wrenching finish on the hardwood, Tigers fans haven't had much time to catch their breath.
The Heartbreak in Houston: LSU Football’s Final Score
For the football purists, the most recent big-ticket result came from the Kinder’s Texas Bowl. LSU faced off against a tough No. 21 Houston squad on December 27, 2025.
The final score was Houston 38, LSU 35.
It was a weird one.
Barion Brown basically set the stadium on fire by taking the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. You’d think a start like that would lead to a blowout, right? Wrong. Despite tight end Trey’Dez Green hauling in two touchdowns—setting a single-season record for LSU tight ends in the process—the Tigers couldn't keep the Cougars out of the end zone.
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Houston’s Connor Weigman was surgical. A late 20-yard dash by Dean Connors put Houston up by 10 with just over two minutes left. LSU tried to claw back with a Zavion Thomas touchdown, but the onside kick went nowhere. That 38-35 loss officially ended the Tigers' season with a 7-6 record.
The Buzzer-Beater: LSU Basketball’s Recent Result
Now, if you’re asking about the game that just happened this week, we’re talking basketball.
On Wednesday night, January 14, 2026, LSU hosted Kentucky at the PMAC. It was a brutal ending for the home crowd.
The final score was Kentucky 75, LSU 74.
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LSU absolutely dominated the first half, heading into the locker room with a 16-point lead. Marquel Sutton was lighting it up from deep. But, as often happens with Kentucky, the Wildcats found a second gear. They erased an 18-point second-half deficit.
The dagger?
Malachi Moreno, a freshman who’d been sitting on the bench with foul trouble most of the night, caught a long inbound pass and drained a 17-foot jumper right as the clock hit zero. Game over. LSU is now 0-4 in SEC play, which is kinda painful considering how well they played for the first 35 minutes of that game.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Recent LSU Schedule
A lot of people are confused about why Lane Kiffin wasn't on the sidelines for the bowl game.
Even though Kiffin was officially named the new head coach after Brian Kelly was let go, he didn't actually coach the Texas Bowl. Frank Wilson took the reigns as the interim for that 38-35 loss. It’s a bit of a "technicality" that trips up fans looking at the history books.
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Kiffin was actually busy watching his former team, Ole Miss, make a deep run into the College Football Playoff semifinals. In a strange twist of contract law, LSU actually had to pay Kiffin a $500,000 bonus because of how well Ole Miss performed in the postseason. Talk about a weird way to start a new job.
Quick Snapshot of Recent LSU Scores
- Football (Texas Bowl): Houston 38, LSU 35
- Basketball (Jan 14): Kentucky 75, LSU 74
- Basketball (Jan 10): Vanderbilt 84, LSU 73
Why the Final Score Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
Looking at a scoreboard is one thing, but the "vibe" in Baton Rouge is actually shifting.
In the football game, the emergence of Trey’Dez Green as a legitimate weapon suggests the 2026 season—which kicks off September 5th against Clemson—could be a lot more explosive. On the basketball side, despite the 74-75 loss to Kentucky, the Tigers showed they can run with the best teams in the country. They led for over 35 minutes of that game.
They just need to learn how to finish.
If you're tracking these scores for betting or just to stay in the loop at the office, keep an eye on the injury report. The basketball team has been playing without their star point guard, Dedan Thomas Jr., who’s been out with a leg injury. That absence is basically the reason for the recent second-half collapses.
Actionable Next Steps:
If you want to keep tabs on the next LSU results without refreshing Google every five minutes:
- Download the LSU Sports Mobile App for real-time scoring alerts.
- Mark your calendar for January 17, 2026, when the basketball team heads to Missouri to try and snap their losing streak.
- Start looking at 2026 football season tickets now; with Lane Kiffin officially taking over spring practices soon, the hype in Tiger Stadium is going to be through the roof.