LSU’s November 14 showdown with Texas has all the ingredients of a game that could swing on a handful of snaps. The Longhorns are coming to Baton Rouge for the first time since joining the SEC, and Death Valley should be loud enough to matter. But for LSU, the difference between a statement win and a frustrating night may come down to a few very specific matchups and one simple rule: don’t give the game away.
Texas was tough to run on last season, giving up 103 rushing yards per game, which ranked inside the top five in the conference. That puts extra pressure on LSU’s ground game with Caden Durham and Harlem Berry, but it also raises the stakes for Sam Leavitt. His legs could become a major factor if the Tigers need to create offense in other ways.
Leavitt already showed what that kind of mobility can do at Arizona State. The Sun Devils were 9-1 when he ran for 40 or more yards, and while that exact formula won’t automatically carry over to LSU, it gives this offense another dimension. Against a Texas front that includes edge rushers Colin Simmons and Lance Jackson, Leavitt’s ability to move could help blunt the pass rush and open things up elsewhere.
That same battle up front could decide the night on the other side of the ball, too. LSU has its own game-wrecker in Ole Miss transfer Princewill Umanmielen, who had nine sacks last season and looks set for another big year.
Texas has a premier left tackle in Trevor Goosby, while LSU’s side features Jordan Seaton. If Umanmielen can consistently disrupt the Longhorns, that would tilt things in LSU’s favor.
The home environment should help the Tigers, but only if they keep the crowd in it. If Texas jumps out early and quiets the building, LSU will have to respond fast or risk watching momentum slip away. In a game like this, that matters.
Turnovers may be the cleanest path to a swing either way. Leavitt and the offense have to take care of the ball, because Texas was low on turnovers a season ago. One interception or one fumble at the wrong time could be enough to decide it.
In Other News...
LSU Fans Suddenly Have A Huge Decision To Watch With Elite Receiver
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Sales is weighing Ohio State, Alabama, Indiana, LSU and Texas, though the race is believed to be shaping up mostly between Indiana and Alabama. Ohio State is still in the mix, just not in the same spot it once occupied, while Texas lingers as a possible dark horse. For LSU fans, the wait now turns to whether the Tigers can make a late push before the decision goes public. [Read more 🡒]
LSUs Next DBU Duo Faces A Massive 2026 Test
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Pickett arrived with the kind of freshman buzz that usually comes with immediate pressure, while Woodland quietly built a strong coverage rsum of his own by staying around the ball and keeping opponents out of the end zone through the air. The offseason will be a key stretch for both as they keep sharpening their games under Corey Raymond, because LSUs standard at cornerback does not leave much room for growing pains. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Has A Familiar Recruiting Problem Brewing At Corner Again
LSUs 2027 recruiting class is off to a strong start overall, sitting No. 11 nationally by Rivals with 16 commits and a dozen blue-chip prospects. But the class has a familiar-looking hole in it, and it is one that has mattered to the Tigers before: cornerback. Right now, the group includes only one committed corner, three-star Markez Davis, leaving LSU with little margin for error at a position where it has not consistently stacked elite high school talent in recent cycles.
That shortage puts extra pressure on the staff to keep working the board and, if necessary, chase flips as the cycle develops. LSU has leaned on the transfer portal for defensive backs in the past, but that route has not always solved the problem for long, and the Tigers would prefer to build more of that room the old-fashioned way. If they cannot land a major addition at corner in this class, the concern is not just about one recruiting board - it is about whether LSU is again drifting toward a thin pipeline of homegrown talent at a premium spot. [Read more 🡒]