Fake News? Brian Kelly's Mistaken Claim That LSU Was Homecoming Fodder Motivates Tigers To Win At Mizzou

LSU coach Brian Kelly learned Saturday that mistaken motivation can still work.

Kelly and his No. 23 Tigers (4-2, 3-1 SEC) thought they were No. 21 Missouri's homecoming opponent here at Faurot Field and rode that partially to a 49-39 victory.

Only problem is Kelly got that wrong. It was Fake News! It was not homecoming at Missouri on Saturday.

Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC) will celebrate homecoming on Oct. 21 against South Carolina, which is 2-3 on the season and 1-2 in the SEC. The Gamecocks will likely be underdogs. LSU was a touchdown favorite Saturday.

Brian Kelly Got Tigers Ready To Play Missouri

"We were playing a really good team - top 25 team on the road," Kelly said in the postgame press conference after relaying the same inaccurate information shortly after the game on ESPN. "I think they even scheduled us as their homecoming team. You know that (laughing) can get personal."

And Kelly made sure he told his players they were homecoming bait.

LSU running back Logan Diggs (3) leaps into the end zone for a TD to cut Missouri's lead to 8-6 in the first quarter against Missouri at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

"So, our guys were ready to play," he said.

LSU-Missouri Game Featured No Homecoming Events

I guess none of LSU's players nor Kelly or his assistants noticed there were no homecoming festivities before the game or at halftime. You know, like a homecoming queen being crowned, or a motorcade, or something. No paper mache anywhere. The Tigers also stayed in Columbia and saw no homecoming events on Friday, which could've been a hint.

And Kelly pulled this ploy at the University of Missouri, which is known for its Journalism School and teaching young reporters Real News. The only "homecoming" was a 40-year reunion of the 1983 Journalism School graduates.

LSU LOOKED LIKE IT LET OLE MISS RUN WILD LAST WEEK?

Perhaps Kelly and his team heard and felt so many accurate criticisms over the last week that they just lumped a mistaken one in with the others.

Kelly Felt LSU Was Beat Up By Criticism

"Collectively, just a mindset of a tough football team going on the road when they've been just absolutely beat up about how bad they are," Kelly said. That was in reference to the Tigers' defense setting the school record for yards allowed at 706 last week in a 55-49 loss at Ole Miss.

"And they responded," he said. "Just really happy for my players."

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels shook off some sore ribs from a hit in the fourth quarter after an apparent 2-yard touchdown run. Holding against LSU nullified that play. Daniels visited the medical tent as Garrett Nussmeier replaced him at quarterback briefly, missing on two passes. Then Damian Ramos missed a 29-yard field goal to keep Missouri up by 25-20. Daniels returned for LSU's next possession and found Brian Thomas Jr. for a 42-yard touchdown and 27-25 lead.

Tigers QB Jayden Daniels Shook Off Ribs Injury

Daniels scored again - sore ribs and all - on a 35-yard run for a 35-32 lead midway in the fourth quarter. Then he threw a 29-yard touchdown to Malik Nabers for a 42-39 advantage with 2:58 left to play. Daniels finished 15-of-21 passing for 259 yards and three touchdowns while rushing 15 times for 130 yards.

"He got banged up," Brian Kelly said. "The real story here is Jayden Daniels is just a warrior. He's tough. He's physical. He's smart. He's skilled. I cant use enough superlatives about him individually."