LSU Football Stretch Run – No. 9 Alabama, No. 10 Texas, At No. 16 Tennessee, At Arkansas – To College Football Playoff

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

No. 15 LSU opens a treacherous trek against a trio of ranked teams Saturday against No. 9 Alabama (6-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) at Tiger Stadium (2:30 p.m., ABC).

Then it’s No. 10 Texas (6-2, 3-2 SEC) in Tiger Stadium and No. 16 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) on the road.

No. 15 LSU Will Host 2 Top 10 Teams On Back-To-Back Weeks For 1st Time Ever In No. 9 Bama, No. 10 Texas

If the Tigers (6-2, 3-2 SEC) sweep and take care of business at Arkansas (3-5, 1-4) on Nov. 28, they will be 10-2 and 7-2 and College Football Playoff bound for the first time since the 2019 national championship season. But with a possible nuisance date in the last SEC Championship Game on Dec. 5 in Atlanta.

“When we don’t screw up games, we’re really hard to beat,” LSU coach Lane Kiffin said. “And I think we play as well as any team in the country.”

LSU Football At Open Date: Tigers Are Playing Their Level Best Heading Into Stretch Run

LSU is a 4.5-point favorite over Alabama after both teams were open Saturday. If the Tigers get by that one, they will likely be favored in the remaining three of their games.

The first CFP poll for the 12-team 2026-27 playoffs will be released on Tuesday (6 p.m., ESPN).

Here is a look at the other seven SEC teams with two losses or less like LSU and their schedules entering the stretch run of the 2026 regular season (Associated Press rankings):

No. 2 Georgia (7-1, 5-1)

-at No. 12 Ole Miss, Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC).

-No. 19 Missouri, Nov. 14.

-at South Carolina (5-3, 3-3 SEC), Nov. 21.

-Georgia Tech (2-6, 1-4 ACC), Nov. 28.

No. 8 Kentucky (7-1, 5-1)

-at No. 16 Tennessee, Saturday (5:15 p.m., ESPN).

-No. 17 Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC), Nov. 14.

-at No. 19 Missouri, Nov. 21.

-Louisville (5-3, 4-2 ACC), Nov. 28

No. 9 Alabama (6-2, 4-2)

-at No. 15 LSU, Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC)

-at Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-5 SEC), Nov. 14.

-Chattanooga (6-3, 5-1 Southern Conference), Nov. 21 (1 p.m., SEC Network+)

-Auburn (4-4, 2-4 SEC), Nov. 28

No. 10 Texas (6-2, 3-2)

-at No. 19 Missouri, Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN).

-at No. 15 LSU, Nov. 14.

-Arkansas (3-5, 1-4 SEC), Nov. 21.

-at Texas A&M (4-4, 1-4 SEC), Nov. 27 (6:30 p.m., ABC).

No. 12 Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2 SEC)

-No. 2 Georgia, Saturday (6:30 p.m., ABC).

-at Oklahoma (4-4, 2-3 SEC), Nov. 14.

-Wofford (5-4, 3-3 Southern Conference), Nov. 21 (11 a.m., SEC Network+).

-Mississippi State (4-4, 2-4 SEC), Nov. 27 (11 a.m., ABC).

No. 16 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC)

-No. 8 Kentucky, Saturday (5:15 p.m., ESPN)

-at Texas A&M (4-4, 1-4 SEC), Nov. 14.

-No. 15 LSU, Nov. 21.

-at Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-5 SEC), Nov. 28

No. 19 Missouri (6-2, 3-2)

-No. 10 Texas, Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN).

-at No. 2 Georgia, Nov. 14.

-No. 8 Kentucky, Nov. 21

-Oklahoma (4-4, 2-3 SEC), Nov. 28