The No. 18 LSU Tigers head to Auburn on Saturday afternoon with both teams coming off eye-catching results, but the road has not been kind to LSU so far this season.
LSU got itself back on track by shutting out Mississippi State last week, while Auburn is riding a much bigger high after pulling off a road upset of Georgia as a +19.5 underdog. That result gave Auburn a jolt, and it also snapped LSU into another road test after the Tigers have come up empty in two trips away from home this year.
This matchup also comes with some recent history in LSU’s favor. The Tigers won the last two meetings with Auburn in 2022 and 2023.
A major reason LSU is in a good spot comes down to Sam Leavitt, who has been up and down in his first season with the Tigers after stops at Michigan State and Arizona State. Now in his junior year at LSU, Leavitt had thrown an interception in each of his first six games before last week’s breakout against Mississippi State. He responded with his best outing of the season, finishing 31 of 38 for 289 yards and four touchdowns.
Leavitt’s numbers through this week back up the strong season he’s putting together. His 1,785 passing yards rank 14th nationally, and his 83.4 QBR also sits 14th in the country.
Auburn, meanwhile, has struggled to build any real rhythm. The Tigers have managed consecutive wins only once this season, when they followed a narrow win over Baylor with a home game against Southern Miss. Since then, they’ve alternated losses and wins after opening 2-0.
LSU hasn’t exactly been spotless either. The Tigers dropped a 32-24 decision at Ole Miss as 2.5-point favorites and later fell 35-34 at Kentucky as 9.5-point favorites.
Still, LSU’s wins have all come in convincing fashion, and that makes the current 7.5-point spread worth watching. Even if the road setting keeps things tighter than usual, LSU looks capable of covering.
In Other News...
Auburn Suddenly Has A Staff Question Fans Can't Ignore
Marylands decision to fire Mike Locksley has a ripple effect that Auburn fans cannot really ignore, even if the move happened far from the Plains. The two programs are connected in a way that matters for recruiting, and Auburns staff already has a Maryland link in defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, who previously coached there. When a coaching search opens up, especially at a place tied to current Auburn personnel, the conversation around who stays, who leaves and who follows a coach can start immediately.
Durkin could draw interest for Marylands head coaching job, and that possibility alone creates uncertainty for Auburn as it tries to hold together its recruiting board. The situation also cuts the other way, since Locksleys background includes Alabama ties and real recruiting experience, which could make him a candidate for Auburns coaching staff. For Auburn, the timing is awkward, because any movement at Maryland could affect commitments and relationships the Tigers are trying to protect. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Fans Will Want To See Why Alex Golesh Is In Focus
College GameDay is heading to the University of Utah this Saturday, and ESPN is rolling out a familiar mix of marquee voices for the broadcast ahead of the Utes game against Houston. Rece Davis will anchor the show alongside Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban, while Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid is set to serve as the guest picker as the pregame show settles in for another full morning of college football coverage.
The broadcast will also include live appearances from Utah and Miami head coaches, plus special reports on a range of college football topics, which gives the show plenty of ways to keep attention moving before kickoff. For Auburn fans, the reason to keep an eye on this one is how often GameDay can put coaches and programs under the spotlight in ways that linger beyond one Saturday, and Alex Golesh has found himself in that kind of conversation before. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Suddenly Has A Real Shot At A Five-Star Pass Rusher
Marylands decision to move on from Mike Locksley has quickly put one of the nations top defensive prospects back on the radar, and Auburn is a school worth watching. Zion Elee, the five-star edge rusher currently at Maryland, was recruited heavily by the Tigers and has existing ties to the program through his former high school, giving Auburn a familiar lane if he decides to explore a transfer.
For Auburn, the appeal is obvious. Adding a player with Elees pass-rushing upside would be a major boost for a defense that can always use more disruption off the edge, and the timing could work in the Tigers favor ahead of the 2027 season. Nothing is official yet, but the coaching change at Maryland has opened the door for speculation, and Auburn now looks like a real destination to monitor closely. [Read more 🡒]