LSU didn’t have to sweat a result on the field this weekend, but the Tigers still got the kind of update that matters in November: they stayed put at No. 15 in the AP Poll Top 25.
Saturday’s revised rankings left LSU exactly where it was, with no game played and no movement caused by the chaos around it. The Tigers held firm in the top 15 and sat just behind No.
14 Wake Forest, while the biggest change near them came from USC jumping to No. 18 after knocking off the now No. 11 Ohio State Buckeyes.
For LSU, the ranking is only part of the story. The bigger picture is what’s coming next. The Tigers are the sixth-ranked SEC team, and that standing could shift quickly with three straight games against opponents currently in the Top 25.
First up is a home matchup with No. 9 Alabama on Saturday afternoon.
The Crimson Tide are 6-2, just like all three of LSU’s upcoming opponents, and they’ve been powered by sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell. When Russell is rolling, Alabama usually is too, which puts the spotlight squarely on LSU’s defense.
Being at home should help, even without a night-game atmosphere.
Then comes No. 10 Texas and Arch Manning.
Manning’s season has been uneven, and the Longhorns’ offense sits near the bottom of the conference, but their defense has been described as arguably the best in the nation when healthy. Colin Simmons’ status could end up being a major factor in that one.
Texas also has a tricky test of its own this weekend, traveling to face No. 19 Missouri, so the picture could look different by the time LSU gets there.
The stretch wraps with a road trip to No. 16 Tennessee.
The Volunteers bring one of the SEC’s most dangerous ground games, averaging 213 rushing yards per game, along with a strong defense. They also have a big one ahead this weekend against No.
8 Kentucky, which means Tennessee could enter that LSU matchup as a third straight top-10 opponent.
In Other News...
LSUs Top 10 Standing Looks Different After A Chaotic AP Shakeup
Week 9 brought the kind of shakeup that always seems to ripple through the top of the AP poll, and LSU fans had plenty to watch as the rankings shifted around them. Several nationally relevant teams either lost or survived in less convincing fashion, with Ohio State taking a hit after its quarterback situation worsened and Florida, SMU, Arizona and Northwestern all feeling the effects of a rough weekend. Utah, meanwhile, made a strong move into the top five after handling Cincinnati, adding another layer to a crowded race near the top.
For LSU, the bigger takeaway is how unstable the top 10 looks after a weekend that did not just reward wins, but punished shaky performances. BYU and Indiana both stayed in the win column, yet neither looked especially sharp, which only adds to the uncertainty around where teams really belong when the poll settles. In a season like this, every close call seems to matter, and the Tigers are watching a ranking landscape that could keep changing as the weeks go on. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Burrow Just Added Another Historic NFL Moment
Joe Burrow keeps finding new ways to make NFL history, and Sundays overtime win over the Tennessee Titans gave him another entry for the record books. The former LSU star powered the Cincinnati Bengals to a 43-36 victory, piling up 462 passing yards while completing 38 of 48 throws and adding a rushing score in a game that turned into a showcase of his arm talent and late-game nerve.
Burrow also joined a club so small it now has just two members, becoming the second quarterback in NFL history to post 450 passing yards, five touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in the same game, matching a mark set by Norm Van Brocklin in 1951. The performance came with three interceptions attached, but it still ended with Burrow delivering the winning touchdown on a 9-yard run in overtime, another reminder of how often he can bend a game to his will when the Bengals need it most. [Read more 🡒]
LSU's Ranking Suddenly Carries More Weight Before A Massive Showdown
A wild weekend around the AP Top 25 has only sharpened the stakes for LSU as the Tigers head into a massive showdown. Seven ranked teams went down this week, shaking up the poll and forcing a fresh look at where contenders stand, with Ohio States loss to USC sending a particularly loud ripple through the College Football Playoff race and the Big Ten picture.
For LSU, the timing matters because every shift above and around the Tigers changes the margin for error in a season where rankings are no longer just a talking point. As teams moved up and down and others started to collect votes for a spot in the Top 25, LSUs place in the conversation suddenly feels heavier, and the next game now carries even more weight in sorting out who belongs in the playoff chase. [Read more 🡒]