Jordan Ross turned in the kind of game that gets noticed fast in the SEC.
After LSU’s 38-17 win over Auburn, Ross was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week for a performance that included two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. It was the second time this season he has earned that honor.
Ross wasn’t the only Tiger to be recognized, either. He joined Sam Leavitt as a recipient of a Player of the Week award for his work against Auburn.
The junior defensive end finished with four tackles, two sacks and 2.5 TFLs as LSU’s defense piled up seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss. The Tigers held Auburn to 270 total yards and only 66 rushing yards, and Ross played a major part in that effort.
His impact showed up at a key moment, too. After Auburn pulled within 17-10 in the second quarter, LSU limited the Tigers to just 52 yards over the next four possessions. During that stretch, the defense forced four straight punts while the offense answered with 21 unanswered points to stretch the lead.
Ross’ rise has been building all season, and his production against Auburn fit the bigger picture. Through eight games with LSU, he has 24 tackles, 9.5 TFLs and five sacks, ranking second on the team in both tackles for loss and sacks. That gives the Tigers another edge presence to go with Princewill Umanmielen.
The numbers are a strong sign of how far Ross has come since transferring in after two seasons at Tennessee. He appeared in 22 games for the Volunteers and finished with 26 tackles, five TFLs and 1.5 sacks. He earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 2024, then followed that with 23 tackles, 3.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks in his sophomore year.
What stands out now is how quickly his LSU production has taken off. He already has more sacks in eight games with the Tigers than he posted in either of his two seasons at Tennessee, and his five sacks this year mark a clear jump in output.
For LSU, that matters because Ross gives the defense another reliable way to get into the backfield. For Ross, it’s another sign that his role on the Tigers’ defensive front keeps growing.
In Other News...
LSU Is Getting Healthier Right As Its Toughest Stretch Begins
LSU is finally starting to get some good news on the injury front at a time when it badly needs it. Tight end TreyDez Green made his return in Week 8 after dealing with a knee injury, giving the Tigers another option back in the lineup as they come out of the bye week and prepare for the grind of the SEC schedule.
Whit Weeks is the bigger name to watch next, with the linebacker targeting a return for Alabama after recovering from an ankle fracture. LSU still has several players sidelined for the year, so the roster is far from whole, but getting healthier now matters with the toughest stretch of the season ahead and little margin for error left. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Doubles Down On LSU Move Amid Early Tigers Scrutiny
Lane Kiffin is already leaning into the realities of his move from Ole Miss to LSU, and he made clear during a media teleconference and a podcast appearance that he has no second thoughts about it. He talked up the football culture in Baton Rouge, pointed to the support around the program and framed the decision as one rooted in the long view, even as the Tigers continue to draw early scrutiny around how the transition is unfolding.
Kiffin also addressed where LSU stands right now on the field and in the roster-building process, sounding optimistic about where the program can go from here. The early-season conversation has naturally focused on results and fit, but Kiffins message was less about immediate hand-wringing and more about believing the foundation is there for something bigger to develop. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Hate What Happened To This Alabama Showdown
The SEC finally put a clock on LSUs November 7 showdown with Alabama, and for Tiger fans, it is one they did not want to see. The league announced the game will kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC, setting up the first afternoon meeting between the programs in Baton Rouge since 2010 and taking away the kind of night atmosphere that has long made this rivalry feel bigger than a regular conference game.
It also gives the matchup a little extra weight beyond the usual stakes. This will be the final annual meeting before the SECs revised scheduling rotation interrupts the series, and LSU and Alabama will not be back in Baton Rouge together until at least 2030. For a fan base that expected one more true primetime version of this game, the television slot landed like a letdown. [Read more 🡒]