LSU heads into Week 2 with the kind of setup that can look simple on paper and still tell you plenty about where a team is headed. The Tigers are No. 8 in the Top 25 polls, 1-0 after their blowout win over Clemson, and now they get an in-state matchup with Louisiana Tech at Tiger Stadium.
The Bulldogs are back in Baton Rouge looking for revenge, but the bigger question for LSU is how much of the roster gets to work before the real grind picks up next week. With LSU favored, there’s a strong chance the second team logs a heavy share of the snaps, giving the backups another chance to show what they can do.
That was the story in the Clemson game once LSU pulled away. In the middle of the third quarter, the reserves took over with the Tigers up 44-3, and backup quarterback Landen Clark finished with 72 passing yards and a 71% completion rate on seven attempts.
Wide receiver Phillip Wright III made his mark too, catching three passes for 70 yards and scoring LSU’s final touchdown. On defense, linebacker Zach Weeks added three total tackles while the backups helped close out the game.
Those names are worth watching again Saturday, not just because of the matchup itself, but because LSU has a much bigger test waiting immediately after. The Tigers travel to Ole Miss for their third game of the season, a road trip that marks Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford and one of the most watched games on the schedule.
That game carries weight for more than one reason. Ole Miss is ranked No. 9 and brings some of the best offensive players in the conference, while LSU sits at No. 8 with what the source describes as the best defensive unit in the conference. That makes health a major priority, and it’s part of why the Tigers need to avoid unnecessary hits and keep key players out of harm’s way.
The source also notes that LSU has been dealing with more than football this week, with legal matters and talk of the program potentially being removed from the SEC hanging over the headlines. That’s the backdrop for another Saturday in Tiger Stadium, where LSU will be trying to keep the focus on the field and keep building momentum before the Ole Miss trip.
For LSU, Week 2 is about more than just handling Louisiana Tech. It’s about staying sharp, staying healthy, and getting through another game without losing sight of what comes next.
In Other News...
LSUs Ex-Pro Fight Just Ran Into A Bigger Roster Problem
LSUs roster picture got a lot tighter this week after the Tigers added injured players Aidan Anding and Gabriel Reliford to the official list, bringing the program to the NCAA limit of 105. For a team already juggling roster management and outside scrutiny, the move matters because it leaves no immediate room to add former NFL players DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris, even as the program continues sorting through the broader mess.
The situation has also spilled well beyond the depth chart. The SEC has threatened penalties and even a vote to expel LSU over its efforts to bring in the ex-professionals, while legal action involving LSU officials and the conference is still moving forward. Lane Kiffin has publicly backed the idea of signing Wright and Harris, saying he believed both were deserving of fifth seasons, but for now the Tigers are stuck with a roster logjam and no clear answer on what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Just Made A Roster Decision Fans Never Expected Under SEC Pressure
LSUs roster crunch got a lot more complicated after the Tigers added Gabriel Reliford and Aidan Anding to their 105-player roster, a move that quickly closed the door on two former NFL contract signees, DaeQuan Wright and Zxavian Harris. The decision comes in the middle of a broader fight that has put the program in an uncomfortable spotlight, with the SEC taking a hard line on athletes who previously signed professional contracts and LSU pushing back on that interpretation.
The timing matters because this is not just a depth-chart issue, but a conference-level dispute that already escalated into an amended lawsuit threatening LSUs standing in the SEC. For now, the Tigers have chosen to move forward with two non-former professional players instead of opening those spots to Wright and Harris, leaving the bigger question unresolved as the legal and conference pressure continues to build. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces Mounting SEC Pressure In Fight That Could Force A Response
LSUs roster decision has turned into a broader SEC headache, with the conference now pressing the school over a move that brought former NFL players back into college football. Tony Clayton, who represents DaeQuan Wright and Zxavaian Harris, publicly took aim at commissioner Greg Sankey after LSU declined to roster his clients and instead added two injured players, a sequence that has only added fuel to an already tangled dispute.
The conference has threatened to expel LSU for violating bylaws that bar former professional players from returning to college, and the matter has spilled into federal court with the SEC, NCAA and LSU all caught in the legal crosscurrents. Lane Kiffin has denied orchestrating the players return, but he has backed them legally, leaving LSU in the middle of a fight that is no longer just about a depth chart and could end up forcing a response from the conference office. [Read more 🡒]