LSU’s first loss of the 2026 season came with a three-position drop in the national rankings.
The Tigers fell from No. 7 to No. 10 in the Week 4 Associated Press Top 25 after Saturday night’s 32-24 road loss to Ole Miss. The Rebels made one of the poll’s biggest moves, jumping four spots from No. 8 to No. 4 after surviving LSU’s second-half comeback in Oxford.
The rankings confirmed what the game suggested: LSU took a damaging early-season loss, but it did not fall out of the national championship picture. The Tigers remain a top-10 team at 2-1 and will have an immediate opportunity to strengthen their résumé when No. 23 Texas A&M visits Tiger Stadium.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, is 3-0 with victories over ranked Louisville and LSU. That résumé, combined with Saturday’s performance, moved the Rebels behind only Texas, Georgia and Notre Dame in the new poll.
LSU Punished for the Loss—but Not Buried
Dropping three spots was a reasonable response from AP voters. LSU entered Oxford as the No. 7 team in the country and left with its first defeat, while several teams immediately behind the Tigers remained unbeaten.
However, the voters did not treat the result like a collapse. LSU lost by eight points on the road to a team that is now ranked fourth. The Tigers also showed resilience after falling behind 17-0 and trailing 24-7 at halftime.
LSU tied the game at 24 in the fourth quarter and drove to the Ole Miss 6-yard line with a chance to tie the score again in the final minute. A deflected Sam Leavitt pass was intercepted in the end zone, ending the comeback attempt.
The finish mattered. Voters saw a team that was outplayed early but recovered well enough to make the game competitive against one of the nation’s hottest programs.
LSU received 1,078 points in the new poll, only 11 more than No. 11 Texas Tech. That narrow margin means the Tigers have little room for another setback, but staying inside the top 10 keeps them in a strong position with most of the season still ahead.
Ole Miss Makes Its Case as a National Contender
Ole Miss earned the biggest reward from the LSU-Ole Miss showdown.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns. The Rebels finished with 426 total yards, converted 9 of 15 third downs and answered after LSU erased a 17-point halftime deficit.
When the score reached 24-24, Chambliss directed the deciding 75-yard possession and completed it with a 14-yard touchdown run. The Rebels added a two-point conversion to establish the final margin.
The result carried additional emotion because Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU before the Rebels’ postseason run last season. Pete Golding inherited the program, maintained its momentum and now owns a signature regular-season victory over his predecessor.
Ole Miss has built one of the strongest early résumés in college football. The Rebels opened with a 41-38 victory over Louisville, handled Charlotte and then defeated LSU. Louisville is now No. 16, giving Ole Miss two wins over teams currently ranked in the top 16.
The Rebels’ reward is the No. 4 ranking, but their schedule does not offer a chance to relax. Ole Miss travels to No. 21 Florida in Week 4 for another ranked SEC matchup.
Week 4 AP Top 25 Poll
| Rank | School | Record | Points | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas (58) | 3-0 | 1,706 | 1 |
| 2 | Georgia (3) | 3-0 | 1,580 | 2 |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 3-0 | 1,517 | 3 |
| 4 | Ole Miss (3) | 3-0 | 1,488 | 8 |
| 5 | Indiana (4) | 3-0 | 1,467 | 4 |
| 6 | Miami (FL) (1) | 3-0 | 1,445 | 5 |
| 7 | Ohio State | 2-1 | 1,415 | 6 |
| 8 | Alabama | 3-0 | 1,182 | 10 |
| 9 | BYU | 3-0 | 1,090 | 11 |
| 10 | LSU | 2-1 | 1,078 | 7 |
| 11 | Texas Tech | 3-0 | 1,067 | 13 |
| 12 | USC | 4-0 | 907 | 12 |
| 13 | Penn State | 3-0 | 850 | 14 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 3-0 | 826 | 15 |
| 15 | Utah | 3-0 | 752 | 17 |
| 16 | Louisville | 2-1 | 692 | 23 |
| 17 | Iowa | 3-0 | 561 | 18 |
| 18 | Michigan | 3-0 | 432 | 19 |
| 19 | Missouri | 3-0 | 369 | 20 |
| 20 | Oregon | 2-1 | 364 | 21 |
| 21 | Florida | 3-0 | 269 | NR |
| 22 | SMU | 2-1 | 212 | 16 |
| 23 | Texas A&M | 2-1 | 202 | 9 |
| 24 | Mississippi State | 3-0 | 179 | NR |
| 25 | Houston | 2-1 | 127 | 22 |
Others receiving votes: Washington 107, Kentucky 98, West Virginia 93, Oklahoma 91, Oklahoma State 50, Boise State 48, Virginia Tech 46, Western Michigan 27, Duke 20, Tulsa 18, Arizona 12, Pittsburgh 10, UCLA 10, James Madison 7, North Dakota State 6, Kansas State 3 and Nebraska 2.
SEC Places 10 Teams in the Rankings
The SEC again controls a massive portion of the national poll. Ten conference teams are ranked:
- No. 1 Texas
- No. 2 Georgia
- No. 4 Ole Miss
- No. 8 Alabama
- No. 10 LSU
- No. 14 Tennessee
- No. 19 Missouri
- No. 21 Florida
- No. 23 Texas A&M
- No. 24 Mississippi State
Florida and Mississippi State are the newcomers.
The Gators entered at No. 21 after improving to 3-0 with a 44-39 road victory over Auburn. Mississippi State debuted at No. 24 after erasing a 16-point deficit and beating South Carolina 41-34 in its SEC road opener.
Texas A&M experienced the conference’s steepest fall. The Aggies plunged from No. 9 to No. 23 after losing 31-21 at home to unranked Kentucky.
That result changes the tone—but not the importance—of LSU’s next game. Instead of welcoming a top-10 opponent, the Tigers will face a wounded ranked team attempting to rescue its own season.
LSU’s Response Against Texas A&M Is Critical
The No. 10 Tigers host No. 23 Texas A&M on Saturday, September 26, at 6:30 p.m. Central on ABC.
Both programs enter the game at 2-1 and are trying to avoid consecutive conference losses. For LSU, the matchup offers an immediate chance to prove the Ole Miss defeat was a correctable setback rather than the beginning of a larger slide.
The Tigers must address the slow start that allowed Ole Miss to build a 17-point advantage. LSU produced only 330 total yards in Oxford and completed 14 passes for 158 yards. The running game provided better results, led by Dilin Jones’ 106 yards, but the offense was forced to chase the game for most of the night.
The injury situation also adds pressure. Tight end Trey’Dez Green avoided a tear in his injured knee but is expected to miss games while recovering from sprains and bruising. Safety Dashawn Spears reportedly suffered a season-ending ACL injury. LSU must now adjust both its red-zone personnel and its defensive STAR rotation.
A victory over Texas A&M would keep LSU inside the top 10 conversation, restore momentum and strengthen its position before the schedule continues. A second straight loss would likely send the Tigers tumbling much farther and make the path to the SEC Championship Game significantly more difficult.
Voters Rewarded Major Victories
The biggest movements in this week’s poll followed meaningful wins.
Ole Miss climbed four spots after beating LSU. Louisville rose seven positions to No. 16 after defeating SMU 41-31. Florida moved from outside the rankings to No. 21, while Mississippi State entered at No. 24.
The voters were also willing to punish an unimpressive result. Oklahoma dropped out despite beating New Mexico 14-6 at home. The Sooners are now fourth among teams receiving votes.
Virginia also exited the poll after losing 38-27 at home to West Virginia. Houston remained ranked but slipped three places to No. 25 after a 28-26 loss at Texas Tech.
Those decisions reveal a clear early-season standard: strong victories create rapid movement, while poor performances can erase preseason expectations.
Six Ranked Matchups Headline Week 4
Week 4 includes six games between AP-ranked opponents. There are no top-10 matchups, but each game carries conference or playoff significance.
- No. 1 Texas at No. 14 Tennessee — Noon ET on ABC
- No. 4 Ole Miss at No. 21 Florida — 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
- No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan — 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+
- No. 23 Texas A&M at No. 10 LSU — 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT on ABC
- No. 20 Oregon at No. 12 USC — 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
- No. 19 Missouri at No. 24 Mississippi State — 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network
The LSU-Texas A&M game will be one of the most important rebound tests of the weekend. Both teams were ranked in the top 10 one week ago. Now each must show how it responds to adversity.
The Bottom Line
LSU’s fall to No. 10 is a setback, but the Tigers remain relevant in every major race.
They lost on the road to the new No. 4 team, battled back from a 17-point halftime deficit and had the ball inside the Ole Miss 10-yard line with an opportunity to extend the game. The voters recognized the quality of the opponent and the competitiveness of the finish by keeping LSU in the top 10.
That benefit of the doubt will not last forever.
LSU must start faster, protect Leavitt, replace two important injured players and finish drives against Texas A&M. The Ole Miss loss changed the Tigers’ margin for error, but it did not end their season. Their response in Tiger Stadium will determine whether No. 10 is a temporary landing spot or the beginning of a longer fall.
Sources
- Associated Press: Ole Miss rises to No. 4, LSU slips to No. 10
- LSU Athletics: 2026 football schedule and Texas A&M game information
- Ole Miss Athletics: LSU–Ole Miss final score, statistics and game leaders
- Ole Miss Athletics: Week 4 game at Florida
- CBS Sports: LSU injury updates and AP Top 25 coverage