LSU is heading into one of its biggest tests of the season with a wrinkle on defense: linebacker TJ Dottery is questionable on the Tigers’ Thursday injury report ahead of the Top-10 showdown with Ole Miss.
That adds another layer to a game already loaded with storylines. LSU coach Lane Kiffin is returning to Oxford, and he’s bringing plenty of familiarity with him. His former Ole Miss staff made the move to Baton Rouge last offseason, and four star players followed from that roster as well.
Dottery is one of those former Rebels, and he’s been part of LSU’s defensive climb this season. Against Louisiana Tech, he finished with nine total tackles and six solo tackles, continuing to build his reputation in Baton Rouge even with the spotlight on his old school.
He and Whit Weeks have become the centerpiece of the linebacker group, a pairing that can make life miserable for quarterbacks. That’s why Dottery’s status matters so much for Saturday.
If he can’t go, LSU will likely turn to Davhon Keys. Keys has already logged five total tackles across the Clemson and LA Tech games and brings more than just depth to the table. Last season, he piled up 92 total tackles and started five of 13 games in the 2025 season.
He’s also already familiar with Weeks, which gives LSU a ready-made option if Dottery is unable to suit up. For a game this big, losing a key piece of the defense would be a blow. But if Keys is the next man up, LSU has a proven fallback ready to step in.
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin Just Added More Heat To LSU's Ole Miss Rivalry
Few SEC matchups carry as much history as LSU and Ole Miss, a rivalry that dates to 1894 and has grown into the Magnolia Bowl since 2008. The Tigers have controlled the series overall, leading 64-44-4, and the annual meeting has produced its share of memorable nights, from the 1959 Halloween game to the famed 1972 contest known as The Night Time Stood Still.
Recent history has leaned LSUs way, too, including a comeback win in 2024 that only added to the edge between the programs. With Lane Kiffin now adding more heat to the conversation, the next chapter in this long-running feud has plenty of built-in tension before anyone even steps on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Is Adding More Heat To LSUs Ole Miss Trip
Lane Kiffin has spent enough time in SEC theater to know how to lean into it, and this week he helped turn LSUs preparation for Ole Miss into a much louder scene. He invited LSU students to come out and heckle the Tigers during practice, using the chance to recreate the kind of hostile environment LSU will walk into on the road. The result was exactly the sort of charged backdrop this rivalry tends to attract, with signs, noise and plenty of pointed energy aimed at Kiffin and the team.
For LSU, the practical value is obvious: a little extra discomfort now could help when the real crowd gets involved. For Kiffin, the setting only added another layer to a matchup already carrying its own history, since he previously coached at Ole Miss before leaving in November. With the Tigers headed into that trip, the noise around practice was a reminder that this one is about more than just a football game. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Got A GameDay Pick That Fans Will Love
The buildup around LSUs trip to Oxford already had the feel of one of the seasons biggest SEC showdowns, with the No. 7 Tigers set for a primetime meeting against No. 8 Ole Miss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Now the stage has gotten even brighter, with College GameDay heading to the matchup and ABC carrying the game as part of a broadcast lineup that includes Chris Fowler, Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge.
For a rivalry-like game with rankings this tight, the pregame spotlight is almost as much a part of the story as the snap-to-snap action, and this one will have plenty of it. Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban will be on hand for the show, joined by celebrity guest Morgan Freeman, giving the weekend an extra layer of buzz before LSU and Ole Miss even take the field. [Read more 🡒]