LSU’s playoff path has gone from narrow to shaky in a hurry.
After getting handled at home by Alabama, the Tigers are staring at a steep drop when the College Football Playoff committee unveils its second rankings. Entering the season with big expectations in year one under Lane Kiffin, LSU now sits at three losses and has little margin left to work with.
The Tigers were already in a precarious spot before the Alabama game. In the first CFP rankings, they checked in at No. 14 with two losses, a position that left almost no room for another slip.
A win over the Crimson Tide would have changed the picture dramatically, especially with the rest of the schedule laid out in front of them. Instead, the loss figures to send LSU tumbling.
Even so, the Tigers are not expected to disappear from the rankings altogether. The committee has shown it is willing to keep three-loss teams in the mix, and three such teams were ranked last week: South Carolina, Oregon and Florida. LSU should at least move ahead of Florida, which picked up its fourth loss over the weekend.
Missouri, another ranked team that took its third loss, should also slide, though the Tigers gave top-ranked Texas a much tighter game. Ohio State is set to fall as well, and it entered the weekend ranked above LSU.
That leaves LSU in a crowded part of the rankings, with several teams battling for limited spots. New Mexico could be part of that mix too after continuing to stack wins.
Still, based on talent and the way LSU’s wins have come this season, the Tigers should land somewhere in the No. 22-25 range in the second CFP rankings, with No. 24 looking like the most likely spot. A ranked SEC matchup with Texas awaits this weekend.
In Other News...
LSU Brings One Dangerous Edge Into Texas Clash Despite Clear Concerns
LSU comes into the Texas matchup with a profile that can make life miserable for any opponent. The Tigers have been productive enough on offense to rank near the top nationally in yards per game and third-down conversions, and their defense has a clear edge up front, leading the nation in sack percentage. For Texas, which heads to Baton Rouge fresh off a win over Missouri, that means the Longhorns have to be ready for a game that can turn quickly if they let LSU dictate the tempo.
Still, the Tigers are not without concerns. Their offense has had trouble finishing drives in the red zone and has not consistently established the run, while the defense has shown some vulnerability to giving up big plays. That mix makes LSU dangerous, but also gives Texas a path if it can stay efficient, avoid negative snaps and force the Tigers to play a cleaner game than they have sometimes managed. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Defense Is Starting To Look Like A Real Problem For Opponents
LSUs latest rout at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center was the kind of night that keeps building a defensive identity. The Tigers rolled past Louisiana Tech 90-50, extending a remarkable stretch that saw them win three straight by 40 points or more for the first time in program history. The pressure showed up everywhere, with LSU forcing 23 turnovers and turning those mistakes into 38 points while getting disruptive nights from Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent, who each finished with five steals.
Michael Ruzic led the way offensively with 17 points, and Mo Dioubate added 15 before fouling out, but the bigger takeaway for LSU is how quickly the defense is becoming the tone-setter. Opponents are having a hard time getting clean looks, and even when the Tigers are not at their sharpest on the offensive end, the pace and activity on defense are giving them room to control games in a way that feels increasingly sustainable. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Lands In The Middle Of A Weekend Fans Can't Ignore
Week 11 has a way of reshaping the conversation in college football, and LSU is right in the middle of it with Texas coming to Baton Rouge. The weekend slate is loaded around the Tigers, too, with Georgia heading to Missouri, Utah traveling to Arizona, Indiana hosting USC and Alabama playing in Nashville, giving fans plenty of reasons to keep one eye on the scoreboard beyond Death Valley.
For LSU, though, the focus is squarely on the matchup at home and the broader stage it sits on. The full schedule is spread across multiple networks and streaming platforms, so this is one of those Saturdays when timing matters as much as the games themselves. By the time the night settles in, the Tigers could find themselves part of the weekends biggest talking point. [Read more 🡒]