LSU enters the first US LBM Coaches Poll at No. 13, a strong starting point for a team that finished the 2025 season far from that spot. With Lane Kiffin now running the program and a roster overhaul headlined by the nation’s top-ranked transfer portal class, the Tigers are being talked about like a team with real CFP hopes.
The challenge, of course, is right there on the schedule.
LSU has six opponents in the Coaches Poll, and three of them landed in the top 10. The toughest nonconference test comes immediately, with Clemson visiting Baton Rouge on Sept.
- Clemson checked in at No. 23 with 235 points, making it the first ranked opponent LSU will see.
From there, the slate turns into a steady climb through a loaded SEC schedule. Ole Miss is ranked No. 10 with 1,096 points and comes to Baton Rouge’s calendar in a road game on Sept.
- Texas A&M sits right behind at No. 8 with 1,174 points and visits on Sept.
- Those two, along with Texas, are the top-10 teams LSU will face.
The biggest name at the top of LSU’s schedule is Texas, which comes to Baton Rouge on Nov. 14 as the No. 4 team in the country with 1,544 points. That makes Texas the highest-ranked opponent on LSU’s slate.
Alabama just missed the top 10 at No. 11 with 1,050 points, and Tennessee rounds out the ranked opponents at No. 18 with 428 points on Nov. 21 in Knoxville.
The full schedule also includes Louisiana Tech on Sept. 12, McNeese on Oct.
3, Kentucky on Oct. 10, Mississippi State on Oct.
17, Auburn on Oct. 24, and Arkansas on Nov. 28, none of which were ranked in the poll.
That leaves LSU with four opponents ranked ahead of it in the Coaches Poll: Texas A&M, Texas, Ole Miss, and Alabama.
LSU vs. Ole Miss is already one of the sport’s most anticipated matchups, and with both teams ranked in the top 10, it has the feel of a major November swing game - assuming LSU handles Clemson in Week 1.
FanDuel Sportsbook has LSU’s win total at 8.5. The over is listed at -106, while the under carries the slight edge at -114.
If LSU is serious about the playoff conversation, 10 wins is the number that matters. Even nine would keep the Tigers in the mix, given how demanding the schedule looks from start to finish.
In Other News...
LSUs Next Quarterback Battle May Already Be Taking Shape
Husan Longstreet arrived at LSU with the kind of recruiting pedigree that naturally draws attention, and the redshirt freshman quarterback is already in position to matter. The former five-star prospect from USC joined the Tigers as part of coach Lane Kiffins transfer class, giving LSU another intriguing arm in a room that always tends to shape the conversation on campus.
Longstreets early standing only adds to the sense that the Tigers may already have a future plan forming behind the scenes. With Sam Leavitt installed as the starter, the path for Longstreet is straightforward for now, but the bigger picture points to a potential opening in 2027 if Leavitt heads to the NFL Draft after the season. For LSU, it is the kind of quarterback succession issue worth watching long before the depth chart is forced to answer it. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Could Face Another Staff Reset Sooner Than Fans Wanted
Lane Kiffins decision to keep Charlie Weis Jr. and Blake Baker in place gave LSU some much-needed continuity heading into the current season, especially after a stretch in which staff stability has mattered as much as any depth chart battle. Weis Jr. and Baker have both been central to what the Tigers want to build on each side of the ball, and their presence has helped settle things for a program that has had to adjust quickly to change in recent years.
But the long-term picture may not stay calm for long. Industry insider Pete Nakos has already pegged both coordinators as names to watch for future head coaching openings, which is exactly the kind of buzz that can make a strong staff feel temporary even when it is still intact. Baker was once linked to Tulane before that move fell through, while Weis Jr. continues to draw attention as one of the more promising young assistants in the sport, leaving LSU to wonder how long it can keep this group together. [Read more 🡒]
LSU's Dominick McKinley Suddenly Has More To Prove Than Expected
Dominick McKinley entered preseason camp with the kind of rsum that usually keeps a player near the top of the depth chart. The LSU junior defensive tackle was once a five-star recruit, and a few preseason projections had him penciled in as a starter or at least the next man up heading into this fall.
But when camp opened, McKinley was nowhere to be found on LSUs first- or second-team defensive tackle units. Malik Blocton and Deuce Geralds opened as the top pair, with Stephylan Green and Richard Anderson behind them, leaving McKinley to fight for snaps again after two seasons in which he has appeared in 23 games but logged only limited starts. For a player who arrived with big expectations, the coming weeks will say plenty about where he fits in the Tigers rotation. [Read more 🡒]