The chaos of the Southeastern Conference bought two-loss LSU a mulligan in its hopes of a College Football Playoff in its first season under Lane Kiffin.

But the Tigers’ remaining do-over was spent Saturday in a 31-13 loss to Alabama.

LSU, No. 14 in the CFP selection committee rankings, was able to drive the ball to the tune of 457 yards on the No. 5 Crimson Tide but couldn’t make the most of those gains in a loss that has the Tigers very much on the brink in the coming weeks.

Maybe LSU can still make the 12-team playoff with a win this week over No. 7 Texas and a victory at No. 13 Tennessee in back-to-back weeks. But the Tigers (6-3, 3-3 SEC) could very well lose one, or both, if they continue to fail to turn yardage into points.

LSU, which had 27 first downs to Alabama’s 13 on the night, was very much able to move the ball in the first half.

Just not across the goal line.

After the Crimson Tide (7-2, 5-1) opened with a field goal, the Tigers quickly drove 67 yards on 11 plays, setting up a first-and-goal at the Alabama 8.

But the visitors stymied a quarterback draw by Leavitt, then they hurried him on third down for a throw-away in the end zone.

A chip-shot field goal by Scott Starzyk would prove to be LSU’s only points in the half, because he wouldn’t have enough leg to convert a 56-yard attempt when Kiffin decided to let it fly on a fourth-and-9 at the Alabama 38.

On the very next drive, Kiffin would elect to go for it on a fourth-and-4 at the Alabama 9 after Eugene Wilson dropped a reception on third down. But a turnover on downs was clinched when Leavitt’s pass was batted at the line of scrimmage.

A stuffed rush by LSU’s defense on third-and-1 afforded the Tigers’ offense one more chance in the second quarter, and the drive would show promise. Wilson broke a tackle on a short catch and took off 31 yards to get to midfield.

But after pushing the ball down to the Alabama 27, Leavitt would take a sack on first down, and he’d force a throw to a receiver who was well-bracketed for an interception. It was the first pick he’d thrown in nearly a month after interception-less games versus Mississippi State and Auburn.

Luckily for the Tigers, their defense was stingy, aside from an 11-play, 62-yard drive that finished with a Ryan Coleman-Williams end-around just a yard out from the end zone to make it 10-3.

Through two quarters, Keelon Russell was limited to 89 yards passing. It required 16 carries for the Tide to gain 54 yards on the ground. It was pedestrian, but still worth more points than LSU’s efforts.

LSU would finally break through in the third quarter. Not on the first drive, which was stalled for a 41-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-6. But on the second, which was kicked off by 16- and 32-yard passes to Trey’Dez Green and Jackson Harris, respectively.

On a drive in which right tackle Weston Davis was injured, the Tigers flipped left tackle Jordan Seaton to the other side on second-and-goal at the Alabama 5, tossing to Dilin Jones for a sweep to that side. He cruised into the end zone to take a 13-10 lead.

The advantage didn’t last long. Alabama answered with a 75-yard drive that lasted just over 2 minutes, including a third-and-9 scramble by Russell for 10 yards that set up a seven-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open tight end, Josh Ford.

LSU had no answer. Another drive was bogged down just inside the Alabama 40, featuring a Jones rush for zero yards on second-and-5 and a Leavitt run for just two yards on third-and-5. That set up another Leavitt pass on fourth down that was tipped at the line.

The very next drive, Kiffin opted to punt on fourth-and-more-than-a-yard from LSU’s 11, but the Tigers’ punt team faltered. Coleman-Williams’ 32-yard return brought it all the way back to the LSU 25, a net gain of 14 yards on the boot.

Russell effortlessly flicked to Cederian Morgan for a 25-yard touchdown, which began an unraveling.

LSU wouldn’t punt on a fourth-and-10 from its own 25, with just over 8 minutes left, and Leavitt was sacked. Alabama capitalized with another pair of productive passes from Russell, including a four-yard touchdown to Kaleb Edwards.

Alabama finished the night with 285 yards of offense, which was nearly 100 yards fewer than Leavitt individually; he had 380 passing but didn’t throw for a score.