By Gee Bino | The Who Dat Daily

The Lane Kiffin era at LSU will begin with considerable national respect—but not quite top-10 recognition.

LSU landed at No. 13 in the 2026 US LBM Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving 951 points from the panel of Football Bowl Subdivision coaches. The Tigers did not receive a first-place vote and opened behind six other SEC programs.

Is that a reasonable starting point for a program coming off a 7–6 season, or are voters underestimating what Kiffin has assembled in Baton Rouge?

The answer probably sits somewhere in the middle.

LSU has enough talent to reach the College Football Playoff. However, the Tigers must integrate a new coaching staff, a new quarterback and dozens of new players while facing one of the most demanding schedules in college football.

No. 13 gives LSU respect without pretending the rebuilding process is already complete.

LSU Lands at No. 13

The preseason poll placed Ohio State at No. 1 with 38 first-place votes. Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Notre Dame completed the top five.

Defending national champion Indiana received 14 first-place votes—second only to Ohio State—but opened at No. 6. Miami, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss rounded out the top 10.

LSU was positioned between No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 14 USC in the official preseason poll published by LSU Athletics.

Rank	Team	Points
1	Ohio State	1,741
2	Oregon	1,673
3	Georgia	1,591
4	Texas	1,544
5	Notre Dame	1,524
6	Indiana	1,522
7	Miami	1,409
8	Texas A&M	1,174
9	Oklahoma	1,104
10	Ole Miss	1,096
11	Alabama	1,050
12	Texas Tech	1,034
13	LSU	951
14	USC	838
15	BYU	781

The Tigers finished the 2025 season at 7–6 and outside the final Coaches Poll. Therefore, beginning the new season at No. 13 represents a significant vote of confidence in Kiffin’s arrival and LSU’s aggressive roster reconstruction.

Six SEC Teams Are Ranked Ahead of LSU

The strongest message within LSU’s ranking may not be the number 13. It may be the number of SEC programs placed above the Tigers.

Georgia leads the conference at No. 3. Texas follows at No. 4, while Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss occupy three consecutive positions between Nos. 8 and 10. Alabama sits immediately outside the top 10 at No. 11.

SEC rank	National rank	Team
1	3	Georgia
2	4	Texas
3	8	Texas A&M
4	9	Oklahoma
5	10	Ole Miss
6	11	Alabama
7	13	LSU
8	18	Tennessee
9	25	Missouri

Nine SEC teams made the initial Top 25. That total reinforces how difficult LSU’s path will be during the conference’s first nine-game schedule.

It also illustrates the skepticism surrounding the Tigers. Voters clearly believe LSU can improve quickly, but they are not yet ready to place Kiffin’s team among the SEC’s established contenders.

Is No. 13 Too Low for Lane Kiffin’s LSU?

There is a strong argument that LSU possesses top-10 talent.

Kiffin attacked the transfer portal immediately after taking the job. The centerpiece of his overhaul is quarterback Sam Leavitt, who transferred from Arizona State after establishing himself as one of the country’s most coveted quarterbacks.

Leavitt has accumulated 4,652 passing yards and 36 touchdowns during his college career. He has also rushed for 816 yards and 10 scores, according to LSU Athletics.

His mobility and vertical passing ability make him a natural fit in Kiffin’s offense. If Leavitt remains healthy and adapts quickly, LSU should produce explosive plays at a much higher rate.

Kiffin also added offensive tackle Jordan Seaton, edge defender Princewill Umanmielen, running back Dilin Jones and several players who followed him from Ole Miss.

The Tigers return established leaders, including linebacker Whit Weeks, tight end Trey’Dez Green and defensive tackle Dominick McKinley. Kiffin has not inherited an empty roster. He has combined LSU’s returning talent with one of the nation’s most aggressive portal classes.

That combination creates a roster capable of outperforming its initial ranking.

Why Voters Still Have Questions

Preseason rankings are based on projection, but they are also influenced by what teams proved the previous year.

LSU went 7–6 in 2025. The Tigers lost the Texas Bowl to Houston and finished outside the final rankings. Kiffin inherited a roster requiring substantial changes at several positions.

Those changes create upside, but they also create uncertainty.

LSU will be installing new offensive concepts under Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. The Tigers must also integrate an influx of transfers into a defense coordinated by Blake Baker and co-defensive coordinator Chris Kiffin.

Talent accumulation does not automatically produce cohesion.

The offensive line must develop chemistry around Seaton. Leavitt must build timing with an altered group of receivers. The defense must improve its communication and consistency while adjusting to new personnel.

No. 13 reflects those unknowns. LSU could look like a playoff contender by October, but voters want to see the pieces operate together first.

LSU Will Have Several Chances to Climb

LSU will not need to wait long for opportunities to impress poll voters.

The Tigers open against No. 23 Clemson at Tiger Stadium on September 5. Two weeks later, Kiffin returns to Oxford for a highly anticipated matchup against No. 10 Ole Miss.

LSU then hosts No. 8 Texas A&M on September 26.

The November schedule becomes even more demanding. The Tigers host No. 11 Alabama and No. 4 Texas on consecutive weekends before traveling to face No. 18 Tennessee.

According to LSU’s official 2026 schedule, the Tigers will face six teams ranked in the preseason Top 25:

• No. 23 Clemson
• No. 10 Ole Miss
• No. 8 Texas A&M
• No. 11 Alabama
• No. 4 Texas
• No. 18 Tennessee

That schedule can punish an inexperienced team. However, it can also accelerate LSU’s rise.

A victory over Clemson would immediately validate the preseason optimism. Winning at Ole Miss would deliver a major statement about Kiffin’s new program. Beating Texas A&M could push LSU firmly into the top 10 before October.

The ranking will take care of itself if LSU performs.

The Ole Miss Game Carries Extra Weight

Kiffin’s September 19 return to Ole Miss will be one of the most anticipated games of the college football season.

The Rebels are ranked No. 10, three places ahead of LSU. That creates an early opportunity for Kiffin to defeat his former program and move the Tigers past one of the SEC teams currently receiving more respect.

The atmosphere in Oxford will be hostile. Every decision Kiffin made during his departure will be revisited throughout game week.

That contest will test LSU’s discipline, emotional control and ability to execute in a difficult road environment.

It could also become the moment when Kiffin’s LSU era truly announces itself nationally.

Big Q’s Take

LSU at No. 13 feels fair, but the Tigers have a higher ceiling than several teams ranked ahead of them.

The coaches are respecting Kiffin’s offensive track record, Leavitt’s talent and LSU’s portal additions. At the same time, they are protecting themselves against the uncertainty that comes with a first-year coach and a heavily reconstructed roster.

That is understandable.

LSU does not need preseason praise. The Tigers need production.

Kiffin was hired to restore LSU as an annual playoff contender, not to win the offseason. The schedule provides six opportunities against ranked opponents and several chances to climb rapidly.

If Leavitt stays healthy, the offensive line comes together and the defense becomes more consistent, LSU can finish well above No. 13.

The Tigers are outside the top 10 today. They will have every opportunity to prove they belong inside it.

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Gee Bino is a senior writer and columnist for The Who Dat Daily, covering the New Orleans Saints, Pelicans, LSU athletics, and the Gulf South sports landscape. He specializes in roster construction, player development, salary cap strategy, and breaking news coverage.

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