LSU’s biggest games this season may come down to a handful of one-on-one battles, the kind that decide whether a Saturday feels routine or turns into a problem.
That’s especially true now that the SEC is in its first year of a nine-game conference schedule. LSU’s margin for error is thin, and the pressure lands hardest when the lights are brightest. Lane Kiffin and his staff are expected to put their players in the best position possible, but the Tigers still have to win the matchups that have given them trouble before.
One of the clearest examples is on the ground against Ole Miss. LSU managed only 57 rushing yards in its 24-19 loss to the Rebels in 2025, and that lack of production dragged down the offense as a whole.
It never looked comfortable. In 2026, LSU brings back Harlem Berry and Caden Durham, both of whom have already seen how Ole Miss attacks the run with its front seven, and the Tigers also added Dilin Jones from Wisconsin, who is in the mix for the starting job.
If LSU can get the run game going, it should be in position to handle Ole Miss.
The other side of that Ole Miss matchup is just as dangerous. Marcel Reed has already run wild against LSU in the last two meetings between these new-age rivals, and that’s the kind of threat that can wreck a game before it settles in.
Senior linebacker Whit Weeks is the most prominent of LSU’s returning defenders, and he’s seen Reed twice now. Weeks, who was dealing with injuries in 2025, is healthy again and needs to be a major part of the plan to track Reed down when he escapes the pocket.
Another spot to watch comes when Alabama visits. Much of the attention will go to LSU cornerback DJ Pickett and Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, but LSU’s CB2, PJ Woodland, could be the one who swings that game.
The matchup is still a little cloudy because Alabama receiver Noah Rogers is expected to miss time with an injury, but Lotzeir Brooks is positioned to become one of the best WR2s in the country and could easily seize that role while Rogers is sidelined. If Woodland can’t keep Brooks or Rogers from breaking free, LSU could get burned.
Then there’s Texas, which comes to Death Valley a week after Alabama. That game already has the feel of one of the biggest in the country because of College Football Playoff implications.
It also sets up a quarterback duel between two stars who will be trying to boost both their draft stock and their team’s record. Either passer could light up the scoreboard for 400 yards, or both could be bottled up by the two high-level secondaries.
If one quarterback clearly outplays the other, that team is likely leaving with the win in November.
In Other News...
Paul Finebaum Just Summed Up How Bad Brian Kelly Got At LSU
Paul Finebaum did not exactly hide his feelings about Brian Kellys time at LSU, saying he is relieved to be done with the weekly Monday interviews that came with the job. For three straight college football seasons, those live segments were part of the routine, and Finebaum made it clear the experience was anything but enjoyable.
The backdrop, of course, is Kellys uneven run in Baton Rouge, which ended with a 34-14 record before LSU moved on last fall. Lane Kiffin now holds the job, and Finebaum has already suggested the new arrangement is a far more pleasant one, which says plenty about how low the bar had gotten by the end of Kellys tenure. [Read more 🡒]
Why LSU Fans Are Eyeing No 57 A Little Closer This Year
With LSUs season opener against Clemson still 57 days away, No. 57 has become one of those little roster details worth watching as camp approaches. The jersey is now on junior offensive tackle Ja'Kolby Jones, a JUCO transfer who adds depth to the offensive line and gives the Tigers another name to track as they sort out the pieces up front.
The number has carried a few different storylines over the years, from former LSU offensive lineman Carius Curne to Davon Godchaux, who is now entering his 10th NFL season with the New Orleans Saints. For Tigers fans, the interest in Jones is less about flash and more about what he can become in a room where every bit of line help matters, especially with the opener closing in and the depth chart still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
LSU's Title Hopes May Come Down To One SEC Reality
LSU spent the offseason building the kind of roster that can survive the long grind of an SEC season, loading up at receiver, quarterback, running back and across a defense that already had plenty of pieces in place. The Tigers brought in transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt to steer the offense, added more help at the skill spots and fortified a defensive front and secondary that now look deeper and more versatile than they did a year ago.
For a program chasing championship-level consistency, the bigger question may not be whether LSU has enough headline talent. It is whether the Tigers have enough quality across the board to keep rolling when injuries, fatigue and the usual SEC attrition start to hit. Blake Bakers defense is expected to carry a major share of that burden, and the way LSU manages its depth in the coming months could end up telling the real story of how far this team can go. [Read more 🡒]