LSU is headed to Oxford with momentum, a higher spot in the AP Top 25, and a Week 3 matchup that already feels like one of the biggest games on the board.
The Tigers improved to 2-0 after opening the Lane Kiffin era with back-to-back wins over Clemson and Louisiana Tech. LSU handled Louisiana Tech 45-14 on Saturday night in Death Valley, closing things out with enough authority to keep the spotlight squarely on what comes next.
That spotlight has been bright all week in Baton Rouge. The program has leaned into what has been called the “Showtime Era” of LSU Football, with celebrities showing up for the game-day scene - including Lil Wayne, who was there Saturday afternoon to walk Kiffin down Victory Hill.
Kiffin embraced the energy last week, saying, "It's all about winning. But after that, when you have those types of players and you create that type of feel of how a team plays, how they're allowed to play, just how they kind of are run, I think it's cool. People like to watch certain things, man,"
He added, "Like showtime's real, man. It's a performance, and like I said, nowadays especially, and you go to great concerts and whoever you like - Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift - whoever they are. It's a performance, the whole thing, and we want a performance where we win, and that people want to come back, and that the game's always full, and that people are fighting to get into the stadium."
The AP Poll rewarded LSU for the strong start, bumping the Tigers to No. 7 ahead of Week 3. The updated Top 25 also sets up a top-10 showdown, with Ole Miss coming in at No. 8.
The full top of the poll lists Texas at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami (Fla.), Ohio State, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama.
Kiffin said the two clean wins have been useful in getting his team locked in for what comes next.
"Like I told them in there, you're getting ready to go on the road in the SEC versus a really good team that has played really well for years at that place. So this was good because it's harder to get their attention after last week.
There were two really clean games in a row like that. So I'm glad it happened," Kiffin said.
In Other News...
LSU Turned A Routine Tune-Up Into A Halftime Mess
LSU came into its meeting with Louisiana Tech expecting a routine tune-up, but the first half turned into something far messier than the Tigers had in mind. The defense did its part, stacking up sacks and forcing turnovers, yet the offense never found a steady rhythm, and the run game was especially stalled with only 44 yards on 23 carries.
Much of the unease traced back to Sam Leavitt, whose first-half line included three interceptions, one of them returned 100 yards for a pick six. Even with LSU still carrying a 10-7 lead at the break, the kind of sloppy play that usually gets smoothed out in a lopsided matchup was hanging around long enough to make the Tigers sweat a little harder than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffins Oxford Return Just Made LSU-Ole Miss Even More Personal
LSU and Ole Miss each took care of business in their most recent games, which only adds to the buildup for an SEC matchup that already had plenty of edge. The Tigers now head into a game that is as much about emotion and familiarity as it is about the standings, with Lane Kiffin set to walk back into Oxford in a very different role than the one Ole Miss fans remember.
Kiffins move to LSU has given the rivalry an even sharper personal twist. He brought four players with him through the transfer portal, including two who are being sued by Ole Miss for breach of contract, which only heightens the intrigue around a reunion that was already drawing plenty of attention. For LSU, it is another important conference game. For Ole Miss, it is a chance to welcome back a former coach who left with plenty of storylines in tow. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Heads Into A Lane Kiffin Showdown With Extra Emotion
With Lane Kiffin back in the spotlight and LSU headed into Oxford for a Week 3 meeting with Ole Miss, the buildup has carried an extra layer of emotion well beyond the usual SEC buzz. The game is set for national television, and the storyline naturally brings plenty of attention to the Rebels side as they prepare to face the former coach who once led their program.
Trinidad Chambliss called the whole situation "weird," which fits the mood around a matchup that has plenty of noise attached to it. Still, the Ole Miss quarterback made clear the Rebels are trying to keep the focus where it belongs, on football, even with all the surrounding storylines threatening to take over the conversation. [Read more 🡒]