The first College Football Playoff rankings gave LSU a spot that leaves plenty of room for debate.
At 6-2, the Tigers landed at No. 14 in the committee’s opening Top 25, even though they sit No. 15 in the AP Poll. If the bracket were set right now, LSU would be on the outside looking in, since the five power conference champions get automatic bids and the next seven highest-ranked teams would fill the field. In that setup, No. 12 is the line LSU wants to cross.
The committee slotted six conference teams ahead of LSU: Tennessee at No. 13, Ole Miss at No.
10, Texas at No. 7, Kentucky at No.
6, Alabama at No. 5, and Georgia at No. 2.
That means two of LSU’s losses are to teams ranked above it, while three of its upcoming opponents also checked in higher. For LSU to climb into the playoff picture, it has to convince the committee it belongs with that group.
The bigger issue is how the committee is weighing the two-loss teams clustered around LSU. Tennessee, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas are all in the same two-loss category, which makes the comparison feel especially important. The committee says it is sorting these teams by record, strength of schedule, and marquee wins and losses, but LSU’s case raises the obvious question of whether every team is being judged the same way.
LSU has spent all ten weeks in the Top 25, and its results have been loud when it has won. The Tigers opened with a 51-10 rout of Clemson, then rolled through SEC play with a 35-6 win over ranked Texas A&M and a 31-0 shutout of Mississippi State. Their two losses came on the road and were decided by a combined nine points.
That’s the resume LSU is putting in front of the committee: big wins, one after another, and losses that have not knocked the team out of the conversation. If marquee victories matter, LSU’s argument is that they should count the same way for every team. The committee can’t lean on that standard for one program and then shift the bar somewhere else when it comes to another.
In Other News...
LSU Just Got A Stark Reminder About SEC Eligibility Rules
Missouri is dealing with an eligibility issue that doubles as a warning shot for the rest of the SEC. Guard CJ Gunn has been ruled ineligible by the conference after signing a professional contract and receiving payment to play in the Canadian Elite Basketball League, a move that runs afoul of the leagues rule on college basketball players who turn pro after enrolling.
Coach Dennis Gates confirmed the ruling and said there is no appeal, leaving Missouri without a path to get Gunn back on the floor through conference channels. The timing also shuts the door on the G League draft, a reminder that these eligibility questions can quickly spill beyond one roster and into a much wider set of consequences for teams trying to navigate the modern college game. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Will Notice What Alabama Is Worried About In Death Valley
Keelon Russells development has become part of the conversation in Tuscaloosa at exactly the wrong time for Alabama, with a trip to Death Valley looming and Kalen DeBoer trying to keep his young quarterback on track. DeBoer has leaned into the idea that Russell has to keep learning from past experiences while staying composed once the game starts, a reminder that Alabama is still sorting through some of the same growing pains that tend to show up when the pressure rises.
For LSU fans, that is the kind of worry worth noting because it speaks to what Alabama thinks could swing a marquee SEC showdown. The Tigers get the Crimson Tide at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and the buildup already suggests the visitors know they will need steadiness from Russell if they want to handle the noise, the stage and the challenge that comes with playing in Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Be Getting An Important Frontcourt Boost Sooner Than Expected
LSUs frontcourt could get a welcome boost sooner than expected, with Noa Morro now trending toward a return as early as next week. Kim Mulkey said the senior has been back on the floor in practice and taking part in pregame warm-ups, a notable step for a player who had surgery in early September to address a stress fracture.
Morro brings a veteran presence to the Tigers after a career that included professional experience in Spain and international play for Spanish national teams before arriving in Baton Rouge. For LSU, getting her back into the mix would add depth and experience inside at a time when every healthy body matters, and the next step will be seeing how quickly she can work back into game shape once she is cleared. [Read more 🡒]