Sam Leavitt was going for the jugular.

He had locked his eyes on Trey’Dez Green and was determined to hit his big tight end down the seam. Throwing it to Green is usually a smart move, but one glaring problem stood out: He was swarmed in triple coverage.

But Leavitt let it rip anyway, the first of three mistakes Texas safety Jelani McDonald made him pay for on Saturday. McDonald intercepted the deflected pass, his first of three interceptions as Leavitt’s mistakes kept Texas within striking distance of LSU.

Staying close was all Texas needed in the end, as Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning led the Texas offense on a 12-play, 58-yard touchdown drive to score the game-winning touchdown with just two seconds remaining.

Texas won 22-21, a defeat that felt even more excruciating for LSU by the fact that two of Leavitt’s interceptions came in the red zone, his fifth and sixth red-zone interceptions of the year.

“There were a lot of areas of the game where you’d say we outplayed them to win the game,” LSU coach Lane Kiffin said. “But again, that’s not how it works.”

Green fell down in the end zone on Leavitt’s second interception. His third pick came on a throw he forced into double coverage intended for Jackson Harris.

"I think the really bad one was to Jackson in the corner,” Kiffin said. “It’s the inside release, and there’s nothing there. He chucks it up, and the safety makes the play.”

Leavitt made up for the second interception by throwing a touchdown pass to Harris after Manning had handed the ball right back to LSU, setting the Tigers up at the Texas 7-yard line. But LSU managed only seven points after the third Leavitt interception, in a contest where the Tigers lost by one.

After his two red-zone interceptions on Saturday, Leavitt became the first quarterback in a decade to throw two or more red-zone interceptions in two different games (the other contest was Louisiana Tech).

“Poor decisions,” Kiffin said. “When you bring him up here, he’ll tell you the same thing. You’ve got to not force it, throw it away and not hand over points.”

Leavitt consistently completed throws underneath, getting the ball to Harris and Green. Green finished with five catches for 49 yards, while Harris scored a pair of touchdowns and led the team in catches and receiving yards.

But accuracy wasn’t an issue for Leavitt on Saturday; it was decision-making. After Saturday, Leavitt has 12 interceptions, and his turnover-worthy play rate against Texas was 8.3%, per Pro Football Focus, nearly double his previous season-high (4.2% against McNeese).

Leavitt has had plenty of questionable decision-making moments this year. His interception against Alabama was an ill-advised throw over the middle, and he was lucky not to throw a bewildering interception at Auburn. But Saturday’s mistakes were especially bizarre and costly.

LSU almost certainly won’t be able to get away with Leavitt playing this poorly next Saturday against Tennessee. The Volunteers had the No. 3 defense in the nation heading into this week, according to ESPN’s College Football Power Index, and Leavitt won’t be playing in the friendly confines of Tiger Stadium.

But next Saturday’s result doesn’t matter nearly as much now. LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes are now up in smoke, and Leavitt’s mistakes were the final nails in the coffin.