LSU coach Brian Kelly repeatedly blamed himself for a 42-13 loss to Alabama on Saturday night, a defeat that almost certainly ended any hope of a College Football Playoff berth for the Tigers. They dropped to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in SEC play as Kelly acknowledged they face an uphill climb if they want any shot at a conference title.

Brian Kelly is upset, but perhaps not for the reason you think. His No. 14 LSU Tigers fell to No. 11 Alabama 42-13 on Saturday. The Tigers (6-3, 3-2) dropped virtually out of the running for the CFP with not only their third loss this season, but their second straight by 15 or more points.

The Tigers coach is 5–9 against ranked opponents over the last four seasons after a throttling by Alabama, creating a crisis of confidence in a conference used to high standards.