By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Don’t blame me, if you read it or hear about it here first.
But LSU could be an excellent team in 2026 – a playoff team – and get off to a 2-2 start with little or no margin for error the rest of the way to reach the College Football Playoff.
LSU’s schedule in the SEC’s new nine-game format is difficult, and the Tigers play their most league road games in history with five.
So, here are the five games that will define the No. 10 Tigers’ season with rankings by ESPN and each opponent’s record from last season.
Lane Kiffin will not have a moment in the sun this season if he takes LSU to a Sun Bowl-type postseason.
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) July 29, 2026
https://t.co/Oe0cNMxPFb
1. … At No. 8 Ole Miss (13-2, 7-1 SEC) … Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m. (ABC)
Clemson is an attractive opener for LSU on Sept. 5, but the Tigers should win comfortably. And we all know the real opener will be the third Saturday of September in Oxford, Mississippi, when The Grove becomes a satanic cult of hate for everything LSU and their LSU-loving traitor former coach, Lane Kiffin.
Ole Miss will be so hyped, it could help LSU. Maybe the Rebels will hyperventilate. The key for LSU will be to not get overly emotional and keep itself in check, which bodes well for offensive and defensive execution. Kiffin did an expert job of keeping his team on an even keel in winning his last five last year amid everyone knowing he was entertaining offers to be a head coach elsewhere.
LSU edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen and offensive lineman Devin Harper, in particular, need to keep their emotions in check as they return to their old school before transferring last January. Meanwhile, if a recent lawsuit by Ole Miss against them for breach of contract before transferring to LSU is settled or still up in the air, they could use that as motivation. Whatever works, but don’t get carried away and draw penalties.
The Tigers need to play like a robotic, well-oiled machine overall and not an emotional earthquake, so as not to leave it all in Oxford, because of the following week.
2. … No. 9 TEXAS A&M (11-2, 7-1) … Sept. 26
The Aggies could be the best team on LSU’s schedule, and they have won two straight over the Tigers by an average of three touchdowns. LSU has A&M at home, but just one week after Armageddon at Oxford. This will not be a good Saturday to be emotionally hungover.
And as I said, Ole Miss and A&M could be so good in 2026 that LSU could lose both in close games and be 2-2. If that happens, the Tigers would still have a decent playoff shot via quality of loss, if the Rebels and Aggies stay highly ranked.
3. … No. 16 Alabama (11-4, 7-1) … Nov. 7
A rare Alabama game in Baton Rouge that is not LSU’s feature home game of a season. And that’s good, because LSU would be wise not to have its Post Bama Hangover with what is coming the next week. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is no Nick Saban yet, but he is a very good coach and has a talented roster. The Tigers don’t need him to flip the switch and start becoming a Saban Sequel in Tiger Stadium, where Saban lost only twice as Alabama’s coach with six wins. DeBoer’s first Bama team, by the way, had no trouble at LSU at night in 2024, winning 42-13.
4. … No. 5 Texas (10-3, 6-2) … Nov. 14
Alabama and Texas back-to-back after you’ve already played Ole Miss and Texas A&M on consecutive weeks is a lot to ask. Especially with Texas quarterback Arch Manning likely coming in at the top of his game and as the third Manning to play in Tiger Stadium. His grandfather Archie was 1-1 at Tiger Stadium with a win in 1968 and a loss in 1970. His uncle Eli won in 2001 and lost in 2002. If Kiffin has only two losses after this weekend, he will be earning his money.
Lane Train leaves Tennessee – and Smokey the mascot hound – in his smoke again by inking No. 1 portal QB Sam Leavitt 16 years ago to the day he left Rocky Top for USC after 1 season.https://t.co/KwhvZGqGG6
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) January 13, 2026
5. … At No. 25 Tennessee (8-5, 4-4) … Nov. 21
The SEC office didn’t wish Kiffin – the first to coach three SEC schools – a happy honeymoon season by scheduling him against the two SEC schools he left on the road. The Vols would love nothing more than to be spoilers and keep their one-year coach of 2009 out of the playoffs.
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt, meanwhile, will return to Knoxville, where he visited during his portal recruitment with Kiffin following him there by air for one more meet-and-greet at the airport. Even if Tennessee is average yet again under coach Josh Heupel, this will be a difficult test for Kiffin and the Tigers against an emotionally charged Vols in Neyland Stadium.
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