LSU-SMU 2029 Matchup Moves to AT&T Stadium, Setting Up a Big-Time Showdown in Arlington
LSU fans, mark your calendars for September 1, 2029 - the Tigers are headed back to AT&T Stadium. The highly anticipated non-conference matchup against SMU is being relocated from SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas to the home of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, a venue that’s no stranger to big-time college football.
This move isn’t just about swapping one stadium for another. It’s a strategic play by SMU, one aimed at maximizing both exposure and revenue.
AT&T Stadium seats over 80,000 - more than double the 33,200 capacity at Ford Stadium - and with LSU coming to town, the Mustangs are betting on a packed house and a national spotlight. It’ll be SMU’s first game at the Cowboys’ stadium since 1986, and they’re not stopping with LSU.
Their 2027 matchup against Oklahoma is also making the move to Arlington.
So why the change, especially after SMU just poured $100 million into renovating Gerald J. Ford Stadium?
The upgrades - which included a new football complex, state-of-the-art training facilities, and revamped offices - certainly modernized the Mustangs’ home turf. But when it comes to marquee matchups like LSU and Oklahoma, the draw of a bigger stage and broader branding opportunities proved too strong to pass up.
For LSU, this game in Arlington will be the back half of a home-and-home series with SMU. The first leg takes place a year earlier, on September 2, 2028, in Death Valley. That game will mark the first meeting between the two programs since 1934 - a 95-year gap that will finally be closed with a two-game series that promises plenty of intrigue.
And let’s not forget, LSU has some history in AT&T Stadium. The last time the Tigers played there was back in 2013, when they knocked off No.
20 TCU in a 37-27 win to open the season. That game set the tone for a strong campaign, and LSU will be hoping for similar results when they return in 2029.
Before we get there, though, there’s plenty of football to be played - starting with a monster opener in Baton Rouge this fall. Lane Kiffin officially begins his LSU tenure on September 5, when the Tigers host Clemson at Tiger Stadium. Kickoff time is still TBD, but one thing’s for sure: the Kiffin era is starting with a bang.
The road ahead for LSU is as tough as ever, especially with the SEC expanding to a nine-game conference schedule. But these high-profile non-conference games - whether it’s Clemson in 2026 or SMU in 2029 - show that LSU isn’t shying away from the spotlight. If anything, they’re leaning into it.