LSU’s first month under Lane Kiffin has done more than turn heads in Baton Rouge. It has also put the Tigers near the top of college football’s TV charts.
Updated Nielsen data shows LSU sitting at No. 2 nationally among the sport’s most-watched teams, averaging about 7.8 million viewers per game through the first four weeks of the 2026 season. Only Texas has drawn a bigger audience.
The Longhorns lead the way at a little over 9 million average viewers, with LSU right behind them. Wisconsin, Ohio State and Ole Miss complete the top five. Tennessee, Michigan, Florida, Kentucky and Alabama fill out the rest of the top 10.
That kind of exposure fits the buzz that has followed Kiffin’s arrival in Baton Rouge. LSU has already been part of several games that carried major national interest early in the season, and the ratings reflect it.
The Tigers opened Kiffin’s tenure with a 51-10 win over Clemson, followed that with a victory over Louisiana Tech, then took a loss at Ole Miss before bouncing back with a 35-6 rout of Texas A&M last Saturday in Tiger Stadium.
Nielsen’s figures cover games played from Aug. 29 through Sept. 26 and are based on average viewers per game. The company said its methodology uses P2+ ratings and live plus same-day viewing through its Big Data + Panel measurement.
The rankings include games shown on ABC, CBS, The CW, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, NBC, NFL Network, TNT and USA Network. Partial and regionalized telecasts were not included.
For LSU, it’s another sign that the program’s national draw is as strong as ever in Kiffin’s first season. Through the first month of the year, only one team in college football has been watched more.
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As LSU settles into a new era under Lane Kiffin in 2026, the conversation around the program is not just about scheme and roster building. There is also growing interest in what Death Valley might look like on Saturdays, with the idea of an all-black uniform surfacing as part of a broader rebranding push. It is the kind of aesthetic change that instantly gets people talking because LSU has long leaned into tradition, but it has also shown a willingness to use black in other corners of the athletic department and in team merchandise.
The appeal is obvious: blackout looks have become a familiar part of college football, and other programs have used them to create a jolt of energy and a fresh game-day identity. For LSU, though, it would be a heavier lift, since any departure from the schools classic look is bound to draw a strong reaction from fans who care deeply about what the Tigers wear in Death Valley. For now, there has been no official announcement, which leaves the idea sitting squarely in the category of a debate waiting to happen. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Suddenly Has Real QB Intrigue Before McNeese
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Lane Kiffin has not yet settled on a starter, which leaves the door open for Landen Clark or Husan Longstreet to factor into the plan if Leavitt is limited. McNeese brings its own familiar face to Baton Rouge in third-season quarterback Devin Lippold, but for LSU the real focus is internal right now, with a simple nonconference game suddenly carrying a little extra suspense before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Quarterback Situation Just Got More Interesting Before McNeese
McNeese is heading into its matchup with LSU without third-year quarterback Devin Lippold, who will miss the game because of a right wrist injury, so Jake Strong is set to take over the offense. On the other side, LSUs quarterback picture remains one of the more closely watched parts of this weeks buildup, with Sam Leavitt expected to start as he continues working back from a left hamstring injury.
The Tigers also have some intrigue behind Leavitt, with Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet both possibilities to see the field depending on how the game unfolds. Between Leavitts recovery and the chance to evaluate depth at quarterback, LSU enters the matchup with a few more moving parts than usual, even against an opponent dealing with its own key absence. [Read more 🡒]