The game that might signal the end of the Les Miles era ended with one of his signatures — a confusing, crazy ending.

LSU’s game-winning touchdown pass — a 15-yard Danny Etling-to-D.J. Chark strike — at the end of what turned out to be an 18-13 loss to Auburn was overruled when the replay booth ruled that LSU did not get the play off.

The Tigers were out of time.

The question is, is Miles out of time?

LSU is 2-2 now in a season where it had legitimate national championship hopes. The second loss came to an Auburn team whose coach — Gus Malzahn — was also on the hot seat.

Instead, the Tigers’ lack of offense proved costly and may be Miles’ undoing.

5 takeaways

  • Wolves at the door: LSU will now play the rest of this season with the coach’s job status as the main issue. Sure, LSU could still win the SEC West — a win over Alabama would put the Tigers right back in that race — but at this point, it doesn’t appear realistic. Meanwhile, Leonard Fournette, who rushed for 101 yards and did not score, seems to be a Heisman Trophy outsider. So the focus, for better or worse, will be on Miles.
  • Where are the big plays?: With Brandon Harris, it seemed at times that LSU’s passing game was entirely about long passes to Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural. But with Etling on Saturday, the passing game was too much about dink-and-dunk as the Tigers’ new starter threw for just 118 yards with only one explosive play, a 32-yarder to tight end Colin Jeter.
  • Rush defense is stout: Led by linebacker Kendell Beckwith, LSU’s defense held Auburn’s league-leading rush offense to 154 yards on 49 carries, a stout effort by Dave Aranda’s defense. The highlight ws when LSU stuffed Auburn’s Kerryon Johnson short of the goal on 4th-and-1 in the first half. Did the Tigers do it at the expense of the passing defense? After Sean White threw for 234 yards, it’s a valid question.
  • Tigers miss Toliver?: Cornerback Kevin Toliver missed the game because of injury, and the Tigers may have missed him after White’s 19-for-26 effort with no interceptions. Toliver’s absence kept Tre’Davious White out of the nickel spot (he stayed outside) where he had been creating turnovers for the Tigers.
  • Auburn wins special teams: Not only did All-American Daniel Carlson make all six of his field goals, he also boomed touchbacks while LSU missed a field goal. Auburn also outproduced LSU in the punting game.

Report card

Offense: C- — The balance LSU had in the 23-20 win over Mississippi State did not exist this time. Auburn’s talented coverage men held LSU’s receivers in check, and Etling could not get the ball to stars Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural. He completed passes to six receivers, but while that has been a strength, against Auburn, LSU sorely needed big plays from its stars and couldn’t get them.

Defense: B- — Auburn did not score a touchown. In that regard, it was a mission accomplished kind of night for the Tigers’ defense. But a middling Auburn offense also piled up 388 offensive yards, and White had a better-than-average day throwing the ball. Auburn converted eight third downs as LSU had trouble getting off the field at times.

Special Teams: C — LSU wasn’t horrible, but given the way the Tigers play, it needs to be good. Colby Delahoussaye made 2-of-3 field goals with the miss being no gimme (51 yards). But considering Auburn’s success (6-for-6 on field goals), the Tigers found themselves outplayed on special teams.

Coaching: D — There’s a bottom line accountability for this, and it goes to Miles and his staff. The Tigers couldn’t move the ball consistently, couldn’t get Fournette going and allowed Auburn to move the ball consistently even if it didn’t score. Auburn seemed to have a better sense of what it wanted to do.

Overall: D — LSU is one of the most experienced and talented teams in the SEC, and Saturday’s performance did not reflect that. The offense could not sustain drives. The defense had trouble getting off the field.

Game plan

LSU wanted to pound Auburn with Leonard Fournette, who rushed for 101 yards on 16 carries. But Auburn defended Fournette much better than it did a season ago when he rushed for 228 yards and 3 TDs. On defense, LSU’s emphasis was slowing down the Auburn run game, which by and large worked. Credit Auburn quarterback Sean White (19-for-26, 234 yards) for making the Tigers pay a bit with openings in the secondary. But the LSU defense did keep Auburn out of the end zone.

Game balls

DE Arden Key: Lost in the talk about Miles’ job status is the brilliant season Key is having. He finished with 1.5 sacks, including one that forced a fumble, and he now has 6.5 on the season. He is in Myles Garrett territory as far as the conversation for being the SEC’s premier pass-rusher.

LB Kendell Beckwith: Beckwith spearheaded a solid effort by LSU’s run defense, which held Auburn to 154 yards on 49 carries. Auburn entered the game averaging an SEC-best 261 yards a game and 5 yards per carry.

QB Danny Etling: Etling gets credit for two things: toughness and creativity. In the game’s only touchdown, a 3-yard pass to Foster Moreau, Etling was pressured and made a nifty, improvised flip to Moreau, who barely got the ball in the end zone. And Etling showed toughness when he took a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit from Auburn’s Tre’ Williams, leaving Etling bloodied and helmetless. Williams was penalized and ejected, and Etling missed just one play.