LSU Football is heading back to a familiar stage in 2029, with a neutral-site showdown already locked in against SMU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game is set for Sept. 1, 2029, marking a marquee nonconference matchup to kick off the Tigers’ season - and it’s part of a broader scheduling strategy that’s become something of a trend for LSU in recent years.
This won’t be LSU’s first dance at AT&T Stadium. The last time the Tigers took the field there was back in 2018, when a newly transferred Joe Burrow made his LSU debut and helped the Tigers knock off No.
8 Miami, 33-17. That game marked the beginning of a new era for LSU - and while 2029 is still a few seasons away, the Tigers will be hoping for a similarly strong statement when they return to Jerry World.
For SMU, the matchup is part of a growing push to reassert its place on the national stage. The Mustangs also announced a 2027 neutral-site game against Oklahoma at AT&T Stadium, reinforcing their ambition to compete with - and be seen alongside - college football’s elite. SMU athletic director Damon Evans pointed to the program’s storied past, including the Pony Express era, while highlighting the importance of these high-profile games for revenue, branding, and long-term growth in the ACC.
From LSU’s perspective, this game continues a clear pattern: the Tigers have leaned into opening their seasons on big stages, often at neutral sites against top-tier opponents. Since that 2018 win over Miami, LSU has had its share of early-season challenges at neutral venues - and not always with favorable outcomes.
In 2022, they dropped a nail-biter to Florida State in the Superdome. In 2023, FSU again got the better of them, this time in Orlando.
Then came 2024, when USC edged LSU in Las Vegas.
That’s three straight neutral-site season openers, and three straight losses. So while the 2029 SMU matchup is still years down the road, it’s already shaping up as a chance for the Tigers to flip that narrative - and perhaps settle an old score in the process.
Believe it or not, LSU has never beaten SMU. The two teams have only met twice, with the Mustangs winning 51-0 back in 1922 and the sides playing to a 14-14 draw in 1934. It’s ancient history, sure, but it’s the kind of stat that lingers in media guides and pregame broadcasts - and you can bet it’ll be mentioned when kickoff rolls around in 2029.
Before that, though, LSU will have another crack at a neutral-site win in 2027, when they head to NRG Stadium in Houston to face the Cougars. That matchup, played in the home of the NFL’s Texans, will offer a more immediate opportunity to reverse their recent struggles in these spotlight openers.
So while 2029 may feel like a long way off, the pieces are already being set for another high-profile LSU opener - and another chance for the Tigers to show they’re ready for the big stage.