LSU will learn on Thursday whether it can land one of the biggest names in the 2027 class, as five-star point guard Reese Alston is set to announce his college decision at 3:00 pm CT on October 29, per 247Sports.
The Tigers remain in the hunt for the Houston guard, who is choosing between LSU, Kentucky, Louisville, Tennessee and Wichita State. LSU is being viewed as a real threat in the race, and the matchup with Louisville carries a little extra recruiting history after the Cardinals also finished as a finalist for current Tigers commit King Gibson.
Alston is ranked No. 9 overall in the 247Sports composite rankings, making him the third-ranked point guard and the top prospect in Texas. He is about as high-profile a target as LSU has had since Ben Simmons, and a commitment would give the Tigers another major piece to pair with Gibson, who is also a top-15 national recruit.
The recruitment has already taken a sharp turn off the floor. Rafer Alston, Reese’s father and a former NBA guard with an 11-year career, has been openly critical of Will Wade as the decision approaches.
Zach Smart of Z Smart Hoops reported comments that were shared by Alston himself, including the former NBA star saying he was "disgusted" by how his son's recruitment has played out. He also called Wade a "sleazeball of an individual."
Even with that noise hanging over the process, LSU is still in the mix. And if the Tigers can pull this one off, it would be a major statement about how seriously the program is pushing forward with Wade back in town. After the issues that came with building out the current roster, Wade won’t have to worry about eligibility complications with these high school recruits.
For LSU, Thursday could be a huge swing moment. If Alston picks the Tigers, it would instantly raise the ceiling on what the backcourt can become.
In Other News...
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The bye week gives LSU a little breathing room before Alabama comes to Baton Rouge on November 7, and the early read from the oddsmakers says the Tigers have earned some respect. Vegas has LSU favored by 3.5 points with a total of 52.5, which reflects how competitive this matchup is expected to be and how much this game could hinge on which version of LSU shows up after a week off.
Health, though, remains the lingering question. LSU has spent much of the season managing injuries, and while some players are making their way back, others are still uncertain for the Alabama game. For a team heading into one of the most important weeks on the schedule, that mix of improvement and uncertainty may end up mattering as much as the line on the board. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Playoff Hope Now Comes Down To A Brutal SEC Debate
The playoff math around LSU is already getting weird in the kind of way that tends to happen when the SEC starts beating itself up. FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt floated a scenario in which the Tigers could still reach the 2026 College Football Playoff even with three losses, comparing the seasons volatility to 2007 and pointing to a path where November changes everything. In his view, LSU would handle Alabama and Tennessee, while Kentucky would stumble twice, leaving the Tigers positioned to slide into the No. 11 seed.
What makes the discussion even trickier is how much the selection process may end up rewarding timing as much as record. If LSUs losses come early and its best head-to-head results land late, the Tigers could be judged very differently than another team with the same number in the loss column. It is the sort of SEC debate that can feel absurd in September and absolutely central by the time the bracket is drawn. [Read more 🡒]
Joel Klatt Just Framed LSUs Real Playoff Pressure Point
Joel Klatts latest 12-team College Football Playoff projection offered a fairly clear picture of how crowded the SEC race could get, and it put LSU in the mix as one of four league teams in his bracket. He had Georgia winning the conference, Texas in as an at-large team, Ole Miss taking the SEC title game loss but still landing in the field, and LSU also sliding in as an at-large after a 9-3 finish.
What makes the projection especially interesting from Baton Rouge is who got left out. Even with Alabama and Kentucky showing strong playoff odds in ESPNs Football Power Index, Klatt omitted both from his field, which only sharpens the margin for error across the conference. For LSU, the message is pretty simple: a playoff path is there, but in a league this loaded, the Tigers cant afford many missteps if they want to stay inside the bracket conversation. [Read more 🡒]