LSU’s final home game of 2026 brings a heavyweight into Death Valley, and the setting adds a little extra bite: Texas is coming to Baton Rouge for the first time since 1952, when the Longhorns beat the Tigers 35-14.
That backdrop is part of why this one feels loaded. LSU’s first season under Lane Kiffin has had its highs and lows, but a win over the CFP No. 6-ranked Longhorns would keep the conversation around a 12-team playoff berth alive. Lose, and the margin for error gets even thinner.
The matchup also puts LSU’s offense under the microscope. Texas brings a defense that can make life miserable, especially if the Tigers are forced to chase points. LSU has already shown how dangerous that can be this season, and the concern is simple: if the Longhorns keep scoring efficiently in the red zone, LSU could be stuck trying to keep pace instead of dictating the game.
One view of the matchup leans into that pressure. Texas’ pass rush is expected to be a major problem, and LSU will need to answer it if it wants any shot at hanging around.
The Tigers’ defense also has a path to making this interesting if it can get after Arch Manning, force mistakes, and make Texas work for everything. If that happens, LSU can stay in the fight.
If it doesn’t, the result could look a lot like last week.
Another take sees LSU responding with urgency. After spending much of the season in the SEC Championship mix and then dropping the Alabama game, Kiffin’s team is said to be reaching the point where it has to push harder. In that view, LSU’s defense can rise to the moment, stop the run, and put Manning in a spot where he has to win it himself.
There’s also optimism on the LSU side that the offense can start fast, with Sam Leavitt leading the charge after his career-high 388 yards against Auburn. That performance is part of the case that LSU can rebound against Texas, even with the Longhorns’ pass rush looming.
But not every read on this game ends with a Tigers surge. One assessment says LSU’s 2026 season may already have shown its ceiling, pointing to too many weaknesses in too many places to survive when the stakes rise. That view also notes the losses across the board, saying Sam Leavitt doesn’t have enough answers when things get tight and that the defense is short on pieces without Weeks and Spears.
So the range of outcomes is wide, but the stakes are clear. LSU has a chance to make a statement in its last home game of the year.
Texas has the talent to turn it into a long night. And for Kiffin’s team, this one may come down to whether it can finally put together four quarters when it matters most.
In Other News...
Texas Hits Unexpected Travel Snag Right Before LSU Showdown
Texas ran into an unexpected hurdle on the way to Baton Rouge this week, with the Longhorns caught in a nationwide ground stop ordered by the FAA on Nov. 13. The disruption stemmed from air traffic control communications problems affecting facilities across the country, and it put a wrinkle into a normal game-week routine for a team preparing to face LSU.
For the Tigers, it is another reminder that a marquee matchup can be shaped by more than what happens between the lines. Several college football teams were affected by the same travel issue heading into weekend games, and it remains unclear how long the delays will last or whether they will have any impact on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kelly Could Be Headed For Another Power 4 Chance
Brian Kelly is back in the coaching conversation after interviewing for Marylands head coaching job, a reminder that his name still carries weight in Power 4 circles even after his LSU run ended. Since leaving Baton Rouge, Kelly has shifted into an on-air role with CBS Sports, but his rsum and experience keep him in the mix whenever a major program opens up.
At LSU, Kelly never quite delivered the championship push the school expected when it hired him, and he has acknowledged as much in recent comments. He went 34-14 with the Tigers, a solid mark by most standards, but one that fell short of the national-title benchmark LSU had in mind, leaving his next move a notable storyline for a fan base that watched the fit unravel before the results ever matched the ambition. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Biggest Texas Question Still Comes Down To Whit Weeks
Whit Weeks remains the name LSU fans will watch closest as the Tigers get ready for Texas, with the final injury report listing the linebacker as questionable but expected to dress and test his leg during warmups. That keeps the focus on one of LSUs most important defensive pieces heading into a matchup that already carries plenty of weight, while starting right tackle Weston Davis is probable and defensive lineman Gabe Reliford is off the report entirely, a sign he could be back in the mix as well.
The other side of the equation may be just as important, since Texas star edge Colin Simmons is not on the injury report after missing time with a high ankle sprain. For LSU, the question is less about the headline names on paper and more about how much Weeks can actually give them once warmups start, because his availability could shape how the Tigers handle a Longhorns front that appears to be getting healthier at the right time. [Read more 🡒]