LSU’s 2026 date with Texas has a chance to be one of the biggest games on the Tigers’ schedule, and maybe one of the most important in the SEC race.
By the time the Longhorns come to Baton Rouge, both programs could be right in the middle of the playoff conversation. LSU is in the middle of a major reset, with the Lane Kiffin era bringing in a wave of new players. Texas, meanwhile, is trying to get back into the College Football Playoff after just missing the 12-team field a season ago.
The setup around the game only adds to the pressure. LSU will have already played Alabama the week before, while Texas will arrive after a road trip to Missouri. If both teams are living up to expectations, this one could carry major SEC championship implications.
That’s the reality of the league. There’s no such thing as an easy path, and sooner or later, two teams with playoff-level talent are going to collide.
LSU’s schedule makes that especially clear. The Tigers open with Clemson, Louisiana Tech, and McNeese in non-conference play, but the SEC slate is where the real grind begins.
The toughest stretch includes Ole Miss on 9/19, Texas A&M on 9/26, Alabama on 11/7, and Texas on 11/14. Those four teams finished among the top five spots in the conference, which tells you exactly what LSU is dealing with.
That also means the Tigers have to handle the games they’re supposed to win before Texas arrives. If they do that, beating the Longhorns could be the final big step toward a CFP berth.
Texas is not making that easy. Under Steve Sarkisian, the Longhorns have one of the most talented rosters in the country. They’re bringing back 12 starters from last season and added more firepower through the transfer portal, including wide receiver Cam Coleman, running back Raleek Brown, and linebacker Rasheem Biles.
The ideal scenario for both teams would be to walk into this matchup unbeaten. But with how much talent is spread across the SEC, that may not be the reality. One loss could already be in the picture by the time they meet.
For LSU, a win would put its playoff fate squarely in its own hands. For Kiffin, it could be the kind of victory that defines the program.
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The backdrop, of course, is Kellys uneven run in Baton Rouge, which ended with a 34-14 record before LSU moved on last fall. Lane Kiffin now holds the job, and Finebaum has already suggested the new arrangement is a far more pleasant one, which says plenty about how low the bar had gotten by the end of Kellys tenure. [Read more 🡒]
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LSU's Title Hopes May Come Down To One SEC Reality
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For a program chasing championship-level consistency, the bigger question may not be whether LSU has enough headline talent. It is whether the Tigers have enough quality across the board to keep rolling when injuries, fatigue and the usual SEC attrition start to hit. Blake Bakers defense is expected to carry a major share of that burden, and the way LSU manages its depth in the coming months could end up telling the real story of how far this team can go. [Read more 🡒]