LSU’s rise in the AP Poll kept rolling after Saturday’s 38-17 win at Auburn, and the Tigers are heading into a bye week with a little more room to breathe.
The victory pushed LSU up three places to No. 15, moving the Bayou Bengals ahead of Tennessee. Even with that climb, LSU remains sixth in the SEC hierarchy, as Texas made a bigger leap after knocking off Ole Miss.
That ranking sets up an interesting stretch once the Tigers return. Their next three opponents all sit in the same neighborhood in the poll, with No.
10 Alabama as the highest-ranked team left on the schedule. Texas is next at No. 11, and Tennessee is sitting at No.
For LSU, though, the break comes at the right time. After the loss to Kentucky, the response has been exactly what the Tigers needed: a bye against Mississippi State and then a comfortable win over Auburn, with no significant setbacks along the way. Now they get a full reset before the tougher run begins.
There’s also encouraging news on the quarterback front. Sam Leavitt has reportedly been dealing with hamstring issues, and there are moments when that discomfort shows while he runs.
It hasn’t stopped him from producing, though. Against Auburn, he rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown on eight carries while throwing for 387 yards and three scores, completing 32 of 45 passes.
That blend is the sweet spot for this offense. Leavitt can threaten defenses with his legs without needing to depend on that part of his game, and he’s showing more comfort sitting in the pocket and letting it rip. If the bye week helps him take another step, the offense could be headed for even more.
Health could matter just as much on the other side of the ball. Linebacker Whit Weeks is the biggest name to monitor after missing time since the injury against Texas A&M. The Alabama game has been viewed as a possible return target, and that was also the plan for Trey'Dez Green, though he made it back sooner.
LSU’s linebackers have held up fine without Weeks, but getting their No. 7 recipient and defensive leader back for this stretch would only raise the ceiling on a unit that already looks strong.
For now, the Tigers get to enjoy a rare quiet week while the rest of college football keeps spinning through its usual chaos.
In Other News...
LSUs Auburn Grades Exposed Whos Fueling This Surge And Who Isnt
LSUs 38-17 win over Auburn came with another strong showing in the grading sheet, as Pro Football Focus gave the Tigers an 83.6 overall mark. It was the second straight week LSU finished above 80, a sign that the offense and defense are both carrying real momentum as the season starts to take shape.
Jackson Harris led the way with a 90.2 grade, while DJ Pickett also landed among the top performers at 84.6. On the other end, Tre Brown and William Satterwhite II were the lowest-graded LSU players, a reminder that even in a comfortable win, there are still a few spots the Tigers will want to clean up before the next test. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Have A New Reason To Revisit Dave Arandas Legacy
Dave Arandas run at Baylor ended with another abrupt reset, as the school moved on from the former LSU defensive coordinator after a 4-3 start in his seventh season. Joe Klanderman was elevated to interim coach, closing a tenure that had produced a 40-40 record and included multiple losing seasons in recent years.
For LSU fans, it is another chance to look back at a coach whose name still carries real weight in Baton Rouge because of what he built on that side of the ball. Aranda is expected to receive a $12 million buyout, a reminder of how costly these coaching changes can be, even as Baylor now searches for a cleaner direction after years of uneven results. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Is Climbing But One Thing Still Stands Between The Tigers And The Playoff
Another wild Saturday across college football is likely to shake up the AP poll, and LSU is sitting in a much better spot because of it. Two previously unbeaten teams lost for the first time this season to unranked opponents, while two one-loss teams also stumbled against unranked foes, opening the door for the Tigers to climb as pollsters reassess the field. Miami still looks locked into No. 1 after another dominant showing, but the churn behind the top spot is exactly the kind of chaos that can help a team like LSU move closer to the conversation that matters most.
For LSU, the bigger picture is still about where it lands in the playoff race and how much ground it can make up with the contenders around it taking hits. Oklahoma State, Iowa and Texas Tech are among the teams facing possible movement after the weekends results, and every reshuffle matters this time of year. The Tigers can benefit from the mess in front of them, but they still need the rankings to break their way before anything feels secure. [Read more 🡒]