A win tonight in Oxford would do more than add another notch in LSU’s record. It would put the Tigers right back in front of a huge recruiting audience at exactly the kind of stage where programs can make real noise.
No. 7 LSU and No.
8 Ole Miss are set for a sold-out night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and the Magnolia Bowl comes with plenty of extra attention. Nearly 50 of the nation’s top recruits are expected to be there for the top-10 matchup, with several more elite prospects around the country watching Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford and the SEC showdown unfold.
For LSU, the setup is familiar in the best way. The Tigers already made a major impression in Week 1 when they rolled past Clemson 51-10 in front of more than 100 prospects at a packed Tiger Stadium. That kind of opener gives a staff something to sell, and another strong performance on the road would only add to it.
Kiffin was blunt about what matters most when it comes to recruiting.
"Number one thing to do to impact recruits is win," Kiffin said during the first SEC Teleconference Call two weeks ago. "So I've always said that that is a lot with the feeling, the atmosphere late in the game, and what they remember. So we need to win.
"Second thing is play with style. What does your team look like, and how do they play so that recruits want to be part of it? Sidelines, swagger, style that you play with, and so that's something over years we've worked on, I believe, and why a lot of players wanted to come play for us."
That’s the equation LSU is chasing again tonight: win the game, look the part, and leave recruits with a memory that sticks. A victory over Ole Miss would give the Tigers another national showcase and another chance to build on the momentum they picked up in Week 1.
In Other News...
LSU Fans Have One More Reason To Hate This Ole Miss Loss
Ole Miss left Baton Rouge with a 32-24 win over LSU, and Trinidad Chambliss had plenty to do with it. The Rebels quarterback piled up 363 passing yards, threw two touchdown passes and one interception, and also added a rushing score, turning in the kind of all-around performance that made LSU fans swallow a frustrating home loss.
As if the result itself were not enough, Chambliss gave Tigers fans one more annoyance after the final whistle. In a postgame interview with ESPN's Holly Rowe, he let an expletive slip while saying Ole Miss's "Hotty Toddy" cheer, a small moment that only added another layer to an already aggravating night for LSU supporters. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Now Has Two Injury Worries Fans Can't Ignore
LSUs 32-24 loss to Ole Miss was already a frustrating night, and the injury list only added to the concern. Safety Dashawn Spears went down early in the second quarter and was later seen on crutches, while tight end TreyDez Green left in the fourth quarter with a right knee injury after being unable to put weight on his leg.
The Tigers did get a small bit of good news from linebacker TJ Dottery, who was questionable before kickoff but still played and made an impact with five tackles and a pass breakup. Even so, losing two key starters in the same game leaves LSU waiting on answers it could hardly afford to need right now. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffins Family Is Forcing Ole Miss Fans To Confront Something Ugly
The buildup to LSU and Ole Miss has brought the usual noise, but some of it has gone well past football. Lane Kiffins family, including his daughter Landry, has been targeted with inappropriate jokes on social media, a reminder of how quickly rivalry banter can turn ugly when the game is this big. Ahead of a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on ABC, the conversation around this matchup has been complicated by a very different kind of attention.
Layla Kiffin, Lanes ex-wife, posted a message urging kindness, and Landry publicly addressed the offensive comments herself. It is the kind of episode that forces a fan base to confront where the line is, especially when the spotlight on a high-profile coach bleeds into his familys life. The football part of the night still matters, but so does the reminder that not everything attached to a rivalry belongs in the stands or online. [Read more 🡒]