LSU may be headed into one of the season’s biggest games with a new face under center if Sam Leavitt can’t go.
Leavitt was listed as doubtful on the initial injury report Sept. 16 ahead of No. 7 LSU’s matchup with No.
9 Ole Miss on Sept. 19 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
CT on ABC. The game also brings former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin back to Ole Miss after he left before last year’s College Football Playoff to take over at LSU.
If Leavitt is sidelined, Landen Clark could be the one stepping in for his first start in purple and gold. The junior has already seen the field in both LSU games this season and has become the most likely option to handle the offense against Ole Miss.
Clark started his college career at Elon, the FCS program near Greensboro, North Carolina, and has built a solid resume along the way. In two games this season for LSU, he has completed 7 of 10 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown, while also adding 42 rushing yards and a score on seven carries.
His time at Elon helped put him on the map. Clark was named CAA Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the Phil Steele Freshman All-America third team in 2025.
Last season, he threw for 2,321 yards with 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 56% of his passes. He also made noise as a runner, piling up 614 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
The 6-foot, 198-pound quarterback is from Radford, Virginia.
There is another name to watch, too. Husan Longstreet was listed as LSU’s backup in the first two games, even though Clark has mainly filled that role this season. Longstreet is a 6-1, 200-pound sophomore from Corona, California, and a former five-star recruit who transferred to LSU from USC this offseason.
Longstreet’s college sample is smaller, but it includes production. In four games last season, he went 13 of 15 for 103 yards and a touchdown, and he added 76 rushing yards and two scores on 11 carries. He also played in LSU’s opener, completing his only pass for 33 yards and picking up 3 yards on one run.
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Tennessee Fans Have One Reason To Expect A Stress-Free Saturday
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The simulations leaned heavily toward a comfortable finish for Tennessee, which fits the broader sense that this is a game the Vols should handle without much drama. There were statistical trends worth watching in the breakdown, along with reporter notes on how the matchup could play out, but the larger takeaway was hard to miss: if the real game follows the video-game script, Tennessee should spend most of the afternoon in command. [Read more 🡒]