Brian Kelly expresses frustration over constant video reviews

LSU managed to ring up its fourth straight win in its annual series against Florida, knocking off the Gators 45-35 in the Swamp. It took quite some time. Literally. The game nearly lasted four hours thanks to a string of constant video reviews.

Tigers coach Brian Kelly would like to see the sheer number of reviews trimmed down.

“My biggest concern is that we’re just slowing the game down,” Kelly said. “Look, we’ve got to pay the bills, I get it. It’s four, three, four, three, with timeouts. That’s not going away or we’re going to be obviously not paying anybody anything.

“But to stop the game for so many reviews and most of them to be the play stands as called, it just takes away the flow of the game. Hopefully it’s something that we can look at at the end of the season. Maybe it can be instant replay on scoring plays only or change of possession and then if you feel like it’s egregious, throw your red flag out there.”

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There were at least five reviews in the Florida-LSU game. StatBroadcast, an official stat-keeping service used by college football programs, does not list every instance, but here’s a sampling of some from Saturday night:

• Florida running back Montrell Johnson scores a 3-yard touchdown run (call stood)
• LSU receiver Brian Thomas scored on a 24-yard touchdown reception (call stood)
• LSU receiver Brian Thomas made a 29-yard catch (review overturned the catch)
• Officials reviewed the spot following a third down play for LSU (call stood)
• Officials reviewed an Anthony Richardson sack fumble (the call was reversed and changed to an incompletion.

The bottom line: Kelly sounds like he’d like to see a more streamlined process for reviews.

“It just seems like we’re slowing the game down,” he said. “But that’ll be a topic we can have after the season ends.”

LSU pushing to enter AP Top 25

Despite Kelly’s complaint about the constant video reviews and their impact on game flow, LSU did manage to beat Florida for the fourth consecutive year. And the Tigers are on the cusp of making it back into the AP Top 25.

Kelly had his squad briefly ranked there for a week, checking in at No. 25 after getting to 4-1. Then LSU lost to No. 4 Tennessee at home.

Following the win over Florida, which put LSU at 5-2 on the season, with losses to Florida State and Tennessee, the Tigers received 87 votes in the AP Poll this week. That was just 28 votes shy of earning a spot in the AP Top 25, alongside in-state program Tulane.

LSU’s vote total placed it No. 27 among teams receiving votes following Week 7’s games.