Brian Kelly has found a new stage at CBS Sports, and his first LSU-related prediction landed with a little extra bite.
The former Tigers coach, who spent 2022 through part of the 2025 season in Baton Rouge and went 34-14 there, used his new analyst role to lay out how he thinks LSU will fare on a game-by-game basis in 2026. That’s the kind of exercise that almost guarantees attention in Louisiana, especially coming from a coach who was fired after LSU’s 5-3 start to the 2025 season, a stretch that included a rough 2-3 mark in the SEC.
Kelly’s exit eventually cleared the path for LSU to hire Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss, and now Kelly is the one making the forecast. On Monday, CBS Sports’ newest addition revealed his picks for each game on LSU’s schedule, essentially handing Tigers fans a preview of what he believes Kiffin’s first season in Baton Rouge could look like.
The result was not a doom-and-gloom projection. Kelly actually sees LSU putting together a strong year, one that could reach double-digit wins if the quarterback situation stays intact. In other words, he didn’t exactly torch his old program with a brutal outlook.
For Tigers fans, the timing makes the whole thing even more pointed. LSU is heading into its first full season without Kelly since 2021, and while he’s now on the outside looking in, his prediction gives a clear picture of what he expects from the program under Kiffin.
Kelly’s game-by-game forecast is one thing. LSU’s real season is another. The Tigers will still have to play this fall’s schedule, and they’ll be doing it while chasing an SEC title in real time.
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Lane Kiffin Faces A New Ole Miss Debate Over Trinidad Chambliss
Trinidad Chambliss went from injury replacement to the face of Ole Miss football in 2025, taking over after Austin Simmons went down and helping push the Rebels to a program-record 13 wins while coming close to reaching the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. His rise has only sharpened the conversation around what it all means for Lane Kiffins reputation, especially after one SEC coach suggested Chamblisss breakout had more to do with the quarterback himself than with the head coach drawing the plays.
Chambliss is back for a final season after winning a court battle to return, and hell do so under Pete Golding as Ole Miss opens 2026 against Louisville with expectations that will be hard to miss. The quarterback is already being talked about as a Heisman Trophy contender, which only adds another layer to the debate in Oxford: whether Kiffins offense helped create the moment, or whether Chambliss was the kind of player who could have turned heads anywhere. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Golding Sees An Early Sign Ole Miss Defense Is Advancing Fast
Pete Golding did not need much time to see why Ole Miss walked into fall camp feeling ahead of schedule on defense. The Rebels carried over continuity from spring and summer workouts, and the return of key pieces like Edwin Joseph and Jordan Renaud gave the staff a familiar base to build on. Golding also pointed to the offseason development structure and the way new offensive coordinator John David Baker helped make the transition smoother, with players already showing a stronger grasp of the playbook than a typical camp opener might suggest.
For a defense trying to take a step forward, that kind of early comfort matters because the real test comes when the tempo rises and mistakes stop being theoretical. Golding believes the groups versatility should help it handle adversity, but fall camp is where that confidence gets stress-tested against pressure, alignment checks and the kind of mental load that can expose whether a unit is truly ahead of the curve. [Read more 🡒]
John David Baker Faces Ole Miss Offense Debate Fans Cant Ignore
Ole Miss comes into the season with real offensive standards attached to it after last years group finished third in the SEC in points per game and led the league in passing and total yards. John David Baker now inherits that machine as offensive coordinator, and the job is less about starting from scratch than finding a way to keep the production humming while fitting the attack more cleanly with what the defense needs behind it.
The balancing act is what makes Bakers first turn so interesting. Ole Miss also went into the portal to deepen the receiving room, bringing in Syracuse wideouts Darrell Gill Jr. and Johntay Cook, which gives the offense more options if the staff wants to keep its pace high. The open question is whether Baker leans into the same aggressive approach that made the Rebels so hard to handle or dials it back enough to help the rest of the team breathe a little easier. [Read more 🡒]