LSU’s final home game of the 2026 season comes with the kind of pressure that has followed Lane Kiffin’s team all year. After the crushing Week 10 loss to Alabama, the Tigers turn to Texas with the clock moving closer to selection Sunday and every remaining game carrying more weight.
The Reveille Sports Staff is split on whether LSU can answer the moment, but the overall picture is clear: Texas brings the stronger resume into Baton Rouge. Several staffers pointed to the Longhorns’ wins over Tennessee, Ole Miss and Ohio State, while LSU’s best victories were described as coming against an underwhelming Texas A&M team and a Mississippi State squad that was missing its biggest offensive weapons.
For Sports Editor Alex Sheesley, the gap is in what each team has actually shown over the last 10 games. LSU may own the better numbers in some areas, but Sheesley said the Tigers have not backed them up against teams at full strength and in the College Football Playoff race.
“Texas has banner wins over Tennessee, Ole Miss and Ohio State - though the latter looks less impressive as the season runs on,” Sheesley wrote. “LSU dominates the stat sheet but has not put it together against teams that are at full strength and in with a shot at the College Football Playoff.
That’s a trend now, and until there’s proof of it changing, I can’t go against what I’ve seen.”
That same theme carried through the rest of the predictions. Deputy Sports Editor Rami Burks said the hype around Kiffin’s hiring and his connection with the Mannings had made this matchup feel circled for a while, but the season has gone sideways for both programs.
Burks said LSU’s red-zone chances against Alabama weren’t enough, and that Texas’ wins over Ohio State, Tennessee and Ole Miss outweigh LSU’s statistical edge. Burks picked Texas 36-27.
Senior Sports Reporter Tripp Buhler focused on the offensive line and the pressure Texas can bring. He wrote that Sam Leavitt’s confidence took a hit after the Alabama loss, and that Colin Simmons could make life difficult if Weston Davis, who crutched off the field Saturday, cannot play.
Buhler also noted LSU’s quiet rushing attack against Alabama and said Dilin Jones would likely need 100 yards for the Tigers to have a chance. His prediction: Texas 28-24.
Several staffers saw LSU’s path through cleaner execution. Sports Reporter Delaney Potthast said the Tigers may need to stop forcing fourth-down decisions and take the field goal when it’s there.
Potthast also called for more use of Trey’Dez and said LSU should try to exploit Texas’ somewhat lack of a run game. Still, the pick was Texas 28-21.
Sports Reporter Adam Kirschman was not convinced LSU has shown enough against top competition to flip the script. He said the Tigers’ offense looks better on paper, but that has not translated against strong defenses like Texas’ has.
Even so, he expects LSU to score more than it did against Alabama and keep things close. Kirschman’s call: Texas 24-21.
There were also a few staffers who saw a possible LSU response in Death Valley. Sports Reporter Marissa Reiss said Texas will arrive with momentum and that LSU’s offensive front must protect its quarterback, while the defense has to limit Arch Manning’s running.
Still, she believes LSU can regroup and get a much-needed win, picking the Tigers 27-24. Sports Reporter Hannah Garcia made a similar case, saying LSU has yet to beat a top-tier opponent this season but may finally find urgency on offense.
She pointed to Sam Leavitt returning to the level he showed against Mississippi State and Auburn, and predicted LSU would pull it out 28-24.
Brooke Benedict was the most decisive in favor of Texas. The Sports Columnist said LSU’s home night-game advantage will matter, but the Tigers have too often lost momentum through mistakes and system errors.
Benedict also highlighted Texas’ red-zone efficiency, writing that LSU could fall behind quickly if both sides do not keep pace. Her prediction was Texas 31-17.
Across the board, the staff’s picks reflect the same tension: LSU has the talent and the home setting, but Texas has the better body of work. Whether the Tigers can finally turn the numbers into a result is what Saturday night will decide.
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For LSU, the broader interest is less about what happened this fall than what comes next for a player whose path is suddenly uncertain. Lacy could eventually be looking at the transfer portal or the 2027 NFL Draft, but for now the main question is how this latest setback shapes his timeline and whether it changes the market around him once the offseason begins. [Read more 🡒]