Lane Kiffin's got many problems during his first season as the LSU Tigers head coach, but USA Today's Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams don't believe an October 24 visit to Jordan-Hare Stadium to take on the Auburn Tigers is one.
The pair mentioned games against the Clemson Tigers, Texas A&M Aggies, Alabama Crimson Tide, Texas Longhorns, Tennessee Volunteers, and the epic homecoming Kiffin has in Oxford, Mississippi, against the Ole Miss Rebels. The pair did not mention Auburn.
"LSU’s schedule includes Clemson, Texas A&M, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee. Kiffin will coach road games in Oxford and Knoxville this season. Talk about a hostile schedule. At least Clemson, Texas A&M, Alabama and Texas will be home dates," Toppmeyer and Adams wrote.
The AU Tigers' recent results have predictably made them a team not worth mentioning for most national analysts. That overlooks what Alex Golesh did with the USF Bulls and what he brings to East Central Alabama, but that's life.
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Auburn will welcome LSU's top transfer class to Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2026
LSU brought in 40 transfers after Kiffin got the job, with 11 4-stars and a trio of 5-stars, including the No. 1 overall transfer, ex-Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt, and the No. 1 blindside tackle, former Colorado Buffalo Jordan Seaton. That's a lot of blue-chip talent. That mix is expected to gel quickly.
Auburn isn't being given the same expectation, even though Byrum Brown is one of the strongest QB transfers in the country. Golesh and Co. had what was deemed the No. 13 portal haul in the country. To put it lightly, that's not a strong endorsement from 247 Sports, but Golesh's culture and staff will be instrumental in determining whether that talent could outperform expectations, a la the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers.
By the time October 24 rolls around, the Bayou Bengals will know what they are. So will Golesh's Tigers on the other end. Perhaps the SEC will be blessed with a marquee matchup it didn't know would end up in that slot.