No. 7 LSU heads to Oxford on Saturday for a Top-10 SEC showdown with No. 8 Ole Miss, and the first availability report has already added a jolt to the buildup.
The biggest name on it is LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is listed as doubtful for Week 3 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The report comes with less than 75 hours to go before kickoff, and Leavitt’s status could still change when the next update arrives on Thursday. For now, though, LSU has its starting quarterback in the doubtful category for a road game that already had plenty of attention attached to it.
Leavitt has thrown for 574 yards through the air this season, going 41-for-66 with two touchdowns and four interceptions. He looked off last Saturday against Louisiana Tech, which only sharpened the focus on his availability heading into this weekend.
If Leavitt can’t go, LSU has leaned on Elon transfer Landen Clark behind center through the first two weeks rather than USC five-star transfer Husan Longstreet. Clark has completed 7 of 10 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown without an interception, while also adding 42 rushing yards and a score on seven carries. That gives him 151 total yards and two touchdowns on the year.
The rest of LSU’s availability report includes WR Phillip Wright III, LB Jaiden Braker and RB Raycine Guillory as out. Linebackers TJ Dottery and Tylen Singleton are questionable. Trey’Dez Green, Whit Weeks, Davhon Keys and Aliou Bah are all listed as probable.
Ole Miss also has a few names on its report. CB Victor Lincoln Jr. and OL Emanuel Faulkner are out, while RB Makhi Frazier and OL Tommy Kinsler IV are questionable. LB Keaton Thomas and CB Cedrick Beavers are probable.
Lane Kiffin has already made clear the spotlight doesn’t bother him. On Monday, he said, "The pressure is on [Ole Miss].
We won seven games last year. They won 13 games.
They return two Heisman candidates," Kiffin said on Monday. "How often does that ever happen in the same backfield?
"
He added, "We had it one time with Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush - and [Ole Miss has the] second longest winning streak in the country, so you guys just get to go play, and the pressure is not on you."
Kiffin also said, "I know obviously a lot's going to be made about me, but this is about the players being prepared really well and playing really well. Pete's not going to tackle anybody. I'm not going to throw any touchdowns," Kiffin said on Monday.
"This is about our guys.. This is the first SEC game - both teams are 2-0, and we've got to prepare really well."
Saturday’s game is the SEC Game of the Week, with College GameDay set for Oxford. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
LSU Ole Miss Rivalry Just Turned Personal For Lane Kiffin
With the Ole Miss-LSU matchup approaching, the buildup has already spilled far beyond the usual trash talk. Landry Kiffin, the daughter of LSU head coach Lane Kiffin and a student at Ole Miss, took to social media to address signs and comments directed at her that crossed a line, adding a deeply personal layer to a rivalry game that already carries plenty of heat.
She also pushed back forcefully against sexual allegations made about her involving an Ole Miss player, saying she has never met the player and criticizing fellow students for the way they handled the moment. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, but the attention around it now includes a reminder that rivalry weekend can turn ugly well before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Fans Face A Real Game Day Risk This LSU Weekend
Ole Miss is getting ready for one of the marquee dates on the home schedule, and the timing could not be less forgiving. With LSU coming to Oxford and a huge crowd expected to pour in, the weekend is shaping up to bring mid-to-upper 90s heat along with the usual traffic, tailgating and long hours outdoors that come with a big SEC game.
Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi and other local hospitals are stepping up emergency staffing in anticipation of heat-related illnesses, a reminder that this kind of atmosphere can turn dangerous fast. Medical professionals are urging fans to hydrate well before kickoff and watch closely for signs of heat exhaustion, especially if alcohol is part of the day, because the combination can make a hot football weekend even riskier. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Heading To Oxford Just Got A Rivalry Warning
Saturday nights matchup between Ole Miss and LSU already had the feel of a high-stakes SEC event, and now the Rebels are adding an extra layer of crowd control before kickoff. Ole Miss Athletics announced that anyone wearing LSU gear or colors will not be allowed in the student section, a move aimed at keeping that part of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium reserved and reducing the chance of trouble in a game that always carries a little more edge than most.
The warning comes after previous tensions between the schools spilled into conflict, including an arrest during a recent baseball series. With kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC, the focus in Oxford is supposed to be on the football, but the student section policy is a reminder that the rivalry can still create issues well before the first snap. [Read more 🡒]