LSU’s November 14 showdown with Texas is already locked in for ABC, but the kickoff window is still up in the air.
The SEC said Monday that the Tigers and Longhorns will start at either 2:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m. CT, with the league waiting until after Saturday’s games to make the final call. So for now, LSU knows the date and the network - but not yet whether Death Valley gets the afternoon slot or the night stage.
That decision could swing on what happens this weekend. No.
15 LSU and No. 10 Texas both enter with 6-2 records, which keeps each team in the thick of the College Football Playoff conversation.
But both have major tests ahead before they ever meet.
LSU hosts No. 9 Alabama on Saturday, while Texas heads to Columbia to face No.
19 Missouri. Those games matter on their own, but they also shape the national appeal of LSU-Texas a week later.
If LSU beats Alabama, head coach Lane Kiffin would land a signature win in his first season with the Tigers, and that would only add to the buzz around the Texas game. If Texas gets past Missouri, the Longhorns would stay firmly in the postseason picture and set up a matchup between two teams coming off ranked wins. That kind of setup would make LSU-Texas a strong candidate for ABC’s 6:30 p.m. broadcast.
But there’s another game in the mix, too.
The SEC also announced that Missouri’s November 14 game against No. 2 Georgia will air on ABC, with kickoff also listed as either 2:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m.
CT. That puts LSU-Texas and Georgia-Missouri in direct competition for the network’s evening window.
Georgia visits No. 12 Ole Miss on Saturday, while Missouri hosts Texas.
Those results could reshape the picture quickly. If Georgia handles Ole Miss and Missouri knocks off Texas, the Georgia-Missouri matchup could become a particularly appealing primetime option.
If LSU and Texas both win, though, the case for bringing ABC’s night game to Baton Rouge gets stronger.
The SEC has not said exactly how it will choose between the games, so all of those outcomes remain possibilities, not promises.
For LSU, the timing matters for more than television. The Tigers are already set for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against Alabama this Saturday, which will be the first daytime meeting between the programs in Tiger Stadium since 2010. A night kickoff against Texas would give LSU another chance to show off Death Valley under the lights in Kiffin’s first season.
It would also add another layer to the matchup itself. Texas would be making its first trip to Baton Rouge since 1953.
Whatever happens this weekend, LSU and Texas will meet on ABC on November 14. The only thing left to settle is whether it lands in the afternoon or one of college football’s most coveted primetime windows.
In Other News...
Brian Kelly Just Reopened An LSU Debate Fans Thought Was Over
Brian Kelly has been out of the LSU job long enough to settle into his new role as a CBS Sports analyst, but he just gave Tigers fans another reason to revisit the past. With Florida State moving on from Mike Norvell, Kelly surfaced as a name tied to the opening and spoke openly about his history with the Seminoles, while also acknowledging the programs national brand even after its recent struggles.
For LSU, the timing is what makes it linger. Kelly is still owed a buyout from the school, and any fresh coaching speculation around him naturally drags the Tigers back into a conversation they may have hoped was finished. Instead, his comments have reopened an old debate about his next move and what it means for a program that is still sorting through the aftermath of his departure. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Have A New Reason To Worry About Blake Baker
Blake Bakers name is already back in the coaching carousel, and that is not the kind of news LSU fans wanted to see surface in November. The Tigers defensive coordinator has built a strong reputation for turning around defenses and for his recruiting connections across the Southeast, which is exactly why he has emerged as a potential candidate for the Florida State opening after Mike Norvells firing.
For LSU, the concern is less about speculation in a vacuum and more about Bakers history of drawing outside interest. He previously turned down opportunities from Tulane and Memphis to stay in Baton Rouge, but a head-coaching vacancy at a major program is a different kind of test. Florida State is expected to cast a wide net, with names like Manny Diaz, Eli Drinkwitz, Jake Dickert, Kenny Dillingham, Jason Eck, Glenn Schumann, Rhett Lashlee and Jimbo Fisher also in the mix, and LSU will be watching closely to see whether Bakers rise has reached the point where another school tries to pry him away. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Got Its First Real Shot To Change Everything
The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season gave LSU a clear starting point, and it came with both promise and pressure. The Tigers landed at No. 14, which puts them in the mix but still needing a significant climb if they want to turn a solid season into a playoff run.
Next up is a trip through one of the toughest stretches on the schedule, starting with No. 5 Alabama in a game that could reshape LSUs position almost immediately. Three of the Tigers final four regular-season opponents are ranked in the top 13, so there is no shortage of chances to strengthen their case, but also very little margin for error. [Read more 🡒]