By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
A lot has changed since LSU made its last trip to Oxford, Mississippi. Head coach Lane Kiffin has switched sidelines, along with dozens of coaches and support staff. Pete Golding has taken over in his stead and led the Rebels to a College Football Playoff semifinal. Fifteen players who played in the 24-19 Ole Miss win have heard their names called in the NFL Draft. The Tigers have welcomed 41 new transfers, and the Rebels brought in 29 of their own.
But between all of the chaotic, drama-filled turnover, many things will look the same when No. 7 LSU (2-0) faces off against No. 8 Ole Miss (2-0) on Saturday. Both teams enter undefeated, in search of a statement win to bolster their early CFP resumes. Ole Miss’s powder blue will welcome LSU’s white and gold to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and the Tigers will rely on Blake Baker’s defense to slow down Rebels stars Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy.
Senior linebacker Whit Weeks said after practice on Tuesday, though, that the defense and even Baker himself have changed.
“I think coach Baker’s evolved a lot as a play caller,” Weeks said. “I think that he trusts us a lot more than maybe in the past years. We’re doing a lot of different things on our side of the ball just because he’s able to kind of install his whole defense and everything that he wants to do because he can trust guys like me, TJ (Dottery), (Ty Benefield) and everybody out on the field. He’ll throw an install at us in the morning, and two hours later we’re running it at practice.”
Through the first two games of the season, 11 Tigers have recorded five or more tackles. Of that group, Weeks is the only that started against Ole Miss in 2025. Six are in their first season at LSU, including starting linebacker TJ Dottery, defensive ends Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross and safety Ty Benefield.
Those transfers join transfer defensive tackle Stephiylan Green, freshman tackle Deuce Geralds and returning stars DJ Pickett, PJ Woodland, Dashawn Spears and Tamarcus Cooley to form a first-team defense that has allowed just 54 first-half yards and three points through two games. Including the substantial playing time the backup defense has seen, LSU ranks No. 1 in the nation in offensive yards allowed per game (142), No. 2 in rushing yards allowed per game (18.5) and No. 22 in scoring defense (24 points).
Baker’s defense has gone to another level with the talent Kiffin & Co. have brought to Baton Rouge and the offseason of development countering Charlie Weis Jr.’s offense. However, Weeks said the Tigers’ opponents have improved too, especially Chambliss.
“I think it’s like any player. He’s evolved a lot. I think he’s gotten even better than when we saw him last year. He’s definitely going to be a challenge to contain, but it’s a good challenge and I’m looking forward to it,” Weeks said.
Chambliss torched the Tigers for 314 passing yards, one touchdown and an interception and 71 rushing yards in just his third Division I start last season. He went on to finish the year as the Southeastern Conference’s top passer (3,937) and lead the Rebels to a 11-2 record as the starter.
Weeks said stopping Chambliss and Lacy has to be a top priority on Saturday night.
“Both those dudes, watching the first two games of the season, they’re hard to get on the ground,” he said. “We know we’re going to have to contain them. We’ve been working on our tackling a lot this week, so we know we’re going to have to wrap up and get those guys on the ground. But then really just the firepower, both those dudes at any single play of the game, they can score a touchdown.”
Lacy ended 2025 as the No. 3 rusher in the nation (1,567 yards) and the No. 2 touchdown scorer (24). He has started off 2026 with 30 carries for 148 yards and three touchdowns in two games but has been on the field for only 74 of the Rebels’ 141 offensive snaps. Against LSU last year, he ran for 87 yards and a score on 23 rushes.
Another difference from Weeks’ last appearance in Vaught-Hemingway will be in the stands. He said he had not put much thought as to what the Ole Miss faithful would have in store for their former head coach, but he knows it certainly will not be a warm reunion.
“I bet it’ll be even more rowdy this year than last year. We know we’re walking into a hostile environment, but anytime you go on the road in the SEC, it’s like that. It’s a lot of fun, so we’re looking forward to it for sure,” Weeks said.
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