September 19 already has a spotlight on it, and it comes with a familiar SEC twist: LSU and Ole Miss are set to meet in Oxford.
The matchup carries extra juice after Lane Kiffin’s offseason move from Oxford to Baton Rouge, turning this into more than just another conference game. His new team and his old one will square off for an SEC win and bragging rights.
College football’s back, and LSU vs. Ole Miss is one of the early dates to circle.
Ole Miss will host the Tigers at Vaught Hemingway Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, or 6:30 p.m.
CT.
For fans looking to get in the building, tickets are available now on StubHub. Prices currently start at $550. Seats in the south endzone are going for at least $600, while midfield seats are listed at $700.
LSU enters a new era under Kiffin, while Ole Miss is hoping for a season that looks like 2025. A CFP semifinals appearance is still a long way off, but the road begins in September.
The Tigers’ 2026 slate opens with Clemson on Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by Louisiana Tech on Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.
LSU then heads to Ole Miss on Sept. 19 before returning home for Texas A&M on Sept. 26, a game listed as TBD. The rest of LSU’s schedule includes McNeese on Oct. 3 at 7:45 p.m., Kentucky on Oct. 10 at TBD, Mississippi State on Oct. 27 at TBD, Auburn on Oct. 24 at noon, Alabama on Nov. 7 at TBD, Texas on Nov. 14 at TBD, Tennessee on Nov. 21 at TBD, and Arkansas on Nov. 28 at TBD.
Ole Miss opens its 2026 season on Sunday, Sept. 6 against Louisville at 7:30 p.m. ET, then hosts Charlotte on Sept. 12 at 7:45 p.m.
The Rebels welcome LSU on Sept. 19 before traveling to Florida on Sept. 26, with that kickoff still to be announced. Their remaining schedule includes Vanderbilt on Oct.
10, Mizzou on Oct. 17, Texas on Oct.
24, Auburn on Oct. 31, Georgia on Nov.
7, Oklahoma on Nov. 14, Wofford on Nov. 21 at noon, and Mississippi State on Fri., Nov. 27 at noon.
In Other News...
LSUs Next Quarterback Battle May Already Be Taking Shape
Husan Longstreet arrived at LSU with the kind of recruiting pedigree that naturally draws attention, and the redshirt freshman quarterback is already in position to matter. The former five-star prospect from USC joined the Tigers as part of coach Lane Kiffins transfer class, giving LSU another intriguing arm in a room that always tends to shape the conversation on campus.
Longstreets early standing only adds to the sense that the Tigers may already have a future plan forming behind the scenes. With Sam Leavitt installed as the starter, the path for Longstreet is straightforward for now, but the bigger picture points to a potential opening in 2027 if Leavitt heads to the NFL Draft after the season. For LSU, it is the kind of quarterback succession issue worth watching long before the depth chart is forced to answer it. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Face Another Staff Reset Sooner Than Fans Wanted
Lane Kiffins decision to keep Charlie Weis Jr. and Blake Baker in place gave LSU some much-needed continuity heading into the current season, especially after a stretch in which staff stability has mattered as much as any depth chart battle. Weis Jr. and Baker have both been central to what the Tigers want to build on each side of the ball, and their presence has helped settle things for a program that has had to adjust quickly to change in recent years.
But the long-term picture may not stay calm for long. Industry insider Pete Nakos has already pegged both coordinators as names to watch for future head coaching openings, which is exactly the kind of buzz that can make a strong staff feel temporary even when it is still intact. Baker was once linked to Tulane before that move fell through, while Weis Jr. continues to draw attention as one of the more promising young assistants in the sport, leaving LSU to wonder how long it can keep this group together. [Read more 🡒]
LSU's Dominick McKinley Suddenly Has More To Prove Than Expected
Dominick McKinley entered preseason camp with the kind of rsum that usually keeps a player near the top of the depth chart. The LSU junior defensive tackle was once a five-star recruit, and a few preseason projections had him penciled in as a starter or at least the next man up heading into this fall.
But when camp opened, McKinley was nowhere to be found on LSUs first- or second-team defensive tackle units. Malik Blocton and Deuce Geralds opened as the top pair, with Stephylan Green and Richard Anderson behind them, leaving McKinley to fight for snaps again after two seasons in which he has appeared in 23 games but logged only limited starts. For a player who arrived with big expectations, the coming weeks will say plenty about where he fits in the Tigers rotation. [Read more 🡒]