The preseason chatter is about to hit full volume, and LSU fans have one question front and center: will the Tigers show up in the US LBM Coaches Poll when it drops Tuesday, Aug. 4?
That reveal arrives just as the 2026 college football season starts to peek over the horizon, with kickoff less than a month away. Week 0 brings a few of the first real headlines of the year, including North Carolina and TCU in Dublin, Ireland, plus NC State-Virginia on Aug.
- From there, the full schedule opens up in Week 1.
For LSU, the poll release carries extra weight because of everything that’s happened since last season ended. The Tigers are entering a new era under coach Lane Kiffin, and the program will get an early national spotlight right away when it opens the 2026 campaign against Clemson on Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC in Baton Rouge.
LSU’s 2025 season closed with a 7-6 record and no spot in the final rankings, capped by a loss to Houston in the Texas Bowl. Brian Kelly was fired during the season, and Kiffin was officially hired on Dec. 1.
The roster looks different, too. Kiffin and his staff turned over a huge chunk of the team in the offseason, bringing in more than 40 transfers while 38 players transferred out. That kind of overhaul makes the preseason poll even more interesting, because LSU is not just trying to earn respect on paper - it’s trying to show how quickly a rebuilt roster can be recognized before the games begin.
In Other News...
LSU Is Chasing A Transfer Prize It May Need Quickly
LSU is in the market for more firepower next season, and former Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall has emerged as a name to watch. Hall has already made the rounds in college basketball, and after being named to the All-SEC third team last year, he is looking to return to the college game as LSU evaluates transfer options that could make an immediate difference.
What makes Hall especially intriguing for the Tigers is the possibility that he could have another year of eligibility, which would add to his appeal as a proven scorer and rebounder. His camp is sorting through that path while LSU monitors the fit, giving the Tigers a potential boost at a time when frontcourt help could matter quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Devin Harper Gives LSU Another Big Offensive Line Question
LSUs August practices already carried their share of offensive line uncertainty, and Devin Harpers arrival only adds another layer to the mix. The sophomore lineman has gone through a winding path, first committing to LSU, then backing off that pledge and spending his freshman season at Ole Miss before following Lane Kiffin to Baton Rouge.
Harper played in six games for Ole Miss in 2025 and now shows up at LSU as the No. 2 left guard heading into camp, with the kind of versatility that can make him useful in more than one spot. For a group still trying to sort out its best combinations, he is both a potential answer and another reminder that nothing up front is settled yet. [Read more 🡒]
Deuce Geralds Is Giving LSU Fans Real Reason To Watch Him Early
A true freshman defensive tackle already has a real chance to matter for LSU heading into August practices, and Deuce Geralds arrives with the kind of resume that makes that more than just summer hype. The Collins Hill High School product from Suwanee, Georgia, was a highly ranked recruit and one of the nations top defensive tackle prospects, which is why his early placement near the top of the Tigers depth chart is drawing attention before the pads even come on.
Geralds also brings a football background that fits the SEC stage well, coming from a family with college experience and arriving after a high school career that showed he could impact the game on both sides of the line. For LSU, the intrigue is not just that hes a talented newcomer, but that he may be ready to push into a meaningful role almost immediately, giving fans something to track closely as camp unfolds. [Read more 🡒]