By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU will find itself in the third tier Texas Bowl in Houston for the second straight season on Saturday, Dec. 27, against No. 21 Houston.
The Tigers (7-5, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) are coming off their worst regular season finish since a 6-6 mark in the 2021 season. Houston (9-3, 6-3 Big 12), on the other hand, is rolling in its second season under former Tulane coach Willie Fritz as the Cougars are No. 21 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Sunday.
Kickoff will be at 8:15 p.m. on Dec. 27 on ESPN in 72,220-seat NRG Stadium.
The Eagle has landed. Good luck to Ole Miss in playoffs without him – four double-digit win seasons in last 5 years at Ole Miss, which had 2 from 1972 through 2020.https://t.co/fcxS52CDdg
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 1, 2025
New LSU coach Lane Kiffin, who arrived in Baton Rouge from his former job as Ole Miss head coach a week ago Sunday, has said he will not be coaching LSU during bowl preparations and the bowl. Interim coach Frank Wilson is expected to coach the team through bowl practices and the game. Wilson was 2-2 as the Tigers’ interim coach. He replaced fired head coach Brian Kelly on Oct. 26.
COMPLETE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BRACKET AS OLE MISS HOSTS TULANE
Meanwhile, the team Kiffin built – No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1) – will host No. 11 Tulane (11-2) in a first round College Football Playoff game on Saturday, Dec. 20, in Oxford (2:30 p.m., TNT). This game may be more entertaining for LSU fans to watch.
Because LSU offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., who left Ole Miss with Kiffin, will serve as the Rebels’ offensive coordinator in the playoffs under new Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding, who was Kiffin’s defensive coordinator since the 2023 season. Kiffin’s offense put up 548 yards against Tulane in a 45-10 win last Sept. 20 at Oxford.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who is petitioning the NCAA for another senior season that he could spend at LSU, completed 17 of 27 passes for 307 yards and two TDs in that win over Tulane. He also rushed 14 times for 112 yards.
Ironically, Ole Miss will be going against Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall, who will be coaching the Green Wave while also Florida’s new head coach. Kiffin also wanted to perform dual roles in the playoffs as Ole Miss coach, but Ole Miss officials would not allow it.
The Ole Miss-Tulane winner will advance to the Sugar Bowl in the playoffs and play No. 3 and SEC champion Georgia (12-1) on Jan. 1 (7 p.m., ESPN) in the second round.
LSU has not reached the CFP since winning the national championship in the 2019 season at 15-0 under coach Ed Orgeron.
The Tigers will be in a bowl for the 25th time out of 26 seasons starting in 2000. The Tigers’ only non-bowl season this century happened in the 2020 COVID season when they finished 5-5.
The Tigers won their last Texas Bowl last season, 44-31, over Baylor, on Dec. 31, 2024. This will be LSU’s fourth Texas Bowl. The Tigers lost to Kansas State, 42-20, in the 2021 season and beat Texas Tech, 56-27, in the 2015 season.
LSU is 29-24-1 all-time in bowl games.
The Tigers are 2-1 all-time against Houston with all games at Tiger Stadium. LSU won 35-34 win in the 1996 season opener. The Tigers lost, 20-7, in the second-to-last game of the 1999 season that secured coach Gerry DiNardo’s firing days later. And LSU won 28-13 in 2000 in new Tigers’ coach Nick Saban second game.
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