LSU’s stay in the AP top 10 was short-lived.
Even after rolling past Texas A&M, 35-6, the Tigers slid one spot to No. 11 in Sunday’s AP Poll. LSU had entered Saturday at No. 10 after the Sept. 19 loss to Ole Miss, and the win over the Aggies wasn’t enough to keep the Tigers inside the top tier.
It was a busy week across the rankings, with the top 10 getting reshuffled in a big way. Florida was the biggest mover near the top, jumping from No. 21 to No. 8 after knocking off then-No. 4 Ole Miss.
For LSU, the path back into the top 10 is right there on the schedule. Five of the Tigers’ next seven conference opponents are ranked in the top 25, and the next two SEC games are both against ranked teams.
LSU heads to No. 24 Kentucky on Oct. 11, then returns to Death Valley to face No.
16 Mississippi State on Oct. 17.
The schedule only gets tougher in November, when LSU hosts No. 7 Alabama and No. 1 Texas in back-to-back weeks.
Saturday’s result gave LSU a needed response after the Ole Miss loss. Against Texas A&M, the Tigers were in control on both sides of the ball and did not allow the Aggies to score a touchdown.
Texas A&M’s fall has been steep. The Aggies, who opened the season ranked No. 10, dropped out of the AP top 25 entirely and were one of four teams to leave the poll this week.
LSU now turns its attention to McNeese, with an eye on climbing back into the top 10.
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin Sends LSU Message After Silencing A Major Concern
LSUs 35-6 win over No. 23 Texas A&M did more than keep the Tigers rolling, it answered a question that had been hanging over the program. The No. 10 Tigers controlled the game in total yards and leaned on a defense that dictated the tempo from the start, giving the kind of complete performance that has been hard to miss in a crowded SEC race.
Lane Kiffin had plenty to point to afterward, from the defensive effort to Sam Leavitts play while dealing with injury and Jackson Harris breakout as a Hawaii transfer. The next stop is a more local one, with McNeese coming to Baton Rouge, but LSU will still be carrying the bigger picture: whether this was a one-night statement or the start of something sturdier. [Read more 🡒]
LSU May Have Found Answers To Two Problems Fans Feared Most
After the disappointment of the previous week, LSU needed a response, and it got one in a 35-6 win over Texas A&M that felt as much about problem-solving as scoreboard watching. The Tigers had to navigate injuries and a few offensive concerns, but they still found enough rhythm to settle things down and remind everyone that there are answers on this roster when the situation gets messy.
Jackson Harris became the kind of big-play outlet LSU badly needed after TreyDez Greens injury, turning into a reliable downfield threat and changing the shape of the offense. On the other side, Blake Bakers defense made life miserable for Texas A&M by leaning on the safeties, with Tamarcus Cooley and Ty Benefield both showing up around the ball in big moments, leaving LSU with reason to believe two of its biggest worries may not be as dire as they first looked. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Has A New Top 10 Snub Fans Wont Like
LSUs strong start still didnt buy the Tigers any extra respect in the latest Associated Press Top 25, where they slipped from 10th to 11th despite handling Texas A&M at home. In a Week 4 poll that shuffled a few contenders around, the Tigers found themselves on the outside of the top 10 even after a decisive result that should have helped their case.
At the top, Texas stayed No. 1 after surviving a tight one against Tennessee, while other teams moved based on how the weekend played out. For LSU, the placement is the kind of early-season reminder that style points and perception can matter just as much as the win column, and it leaves the Tigers with a little more to prove as the schedule rolls on. [Read more 🡒]