No. 6 Texas heads into Baton Rouge on Saturday night with momentum and a chance to keep building on a strong run against elite competition.
The Longhorns arrive at No. 21 LSU after winning their third straight game, a road grind at Missouri that pushed them to 4-0 against CFP Top 25 opponents.
LSU, meanwhile, comes in reeling from a 31-13 loss to Alabama last week. The Tigers are now fighting for their postseason life and have gone 0-3 against ranked opponents in Lane Kiffin's first season, even with what has been described as a top-three defense in the SEC.
This one also brings back a matchup that has been on pause for years. Texas and LSU last met in 2019, when Joe Burrow led the Tigers to a seven-point win in Austin. Their last game in Baton Rouge came all the way back in 1953, when LSU won 20-7.
The coaching spotlight is bright, too. Steve Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin go way back to their days as assistants on Pete Carroll's staff at USC.
Their paths have crossed plenty since then, including stops as offensive coordinators under Nick Saban at Alabama. Kiffin’s career has taken him from the NFL to the Pac-12 to the SEC and now to Baton Rouge, while Sarkisian has the edge in results.
Neither has won an SEC title, though Sarkisian’s 2023 Big 12 crown stands as the only major conference championship between them.
This season, the contrast has been sharp. Sarkisian is 4-0 against CFP Top 25 opponents.
Kiffin is 0-3. The question now is whether LSU can flip that script under the lights at Death Valley.
Texas also had to deal with an unusual wrinkle before kickoff. The team was among those affected by the FAA's grounding of flights on Friday afternoon, which forced the Longhorns to leave Austin late in the evening and arrive at the hotel right before midnight. With the game set for Saturday night, Texas at least gets extra recovery time after the travel disruption.
In Other News...
Texas Suddenly Faces A Travel Problem Before LSU Showdown
Texas trip to Baton Rouge hit an unexpected snag before the Longhorns ever left Austin, as the teams charter flight was grounded by a nationwide FAA ground stoppage tied to a communication issue affecting air traffic control. Players and staff deplaned and returned to their stadium, turning what should have been a routine travel day into a waiting game with LSU looming ahead.
The FAA had not yet lifted the ground stop, leaving Texas without a clear travel plan for one of the biggest games on its schedule. For a team trying to stay locked in on the field, the uncertainty off it adds another layer of inconvenience, with the Longhorns now waiting to see how and when they can get to Baton Rouge. [Read more 🡒]
Texas LSU Trip Suddenly Puts Saturday Night Plans In Doubt
A nationwide ground stop from the Federal Aviation Administration threw a wrench into Saturday travel plans for several college football teams, and Texas was among the programs caught in the mess. The Longhorns had their flight grounded, and the team was sent back to campus as the disruption rippled through the sport on a day when several teams were trying to get where they needed to go.
For Texas, the immediate question is less about the inconvenience and more about what it means for the schedule. With the Longhorns still facing uncertainty after the travel delay, it remains to be seen whether the situation will affect the planned game and how the program will adjust if the timing keeps shifting. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Brings A Rare Uniform Twist Into A Massive LSU Showdown
Texas is bringing a little history with it to Baton Rouge. When the Longhorns face LSU at Tiger Stadium, they will do so in burnt orange jerseys on the road for the first time since 1971, a rare wardrobe choice that adds another layer to an already high-profile matchup.
The setting matters almost as much as the uniforms. LSU traditionally wears white at home for SEC games, a practice that has been in place since 1958, and the Tigers home-field atmosphere will be part of the backdrop for a game with real postseason weight for Texas as it tries to strengthen its College Football Playoff position. [Read more 🡒]