The LSU Tigers are 2-0 to start the 2026 college football season after a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech on Saturday night.
This game wasn’t pretty as it was just 10-0 for much of the first half. Sam Leavitt had critical mistakes, including a 94-yard pick-six that made it a 10-7 game at the half. The Arizona State transfer had two other interceptions in the contest that would’ve been even more trouble if it wasn’t for the amazing performance from the Bayou Bandits on defense.
The LSU offense did wake
up in the second half as Leavitt was able to grab a trio of rushing touchdowns in the game before turning things over to Landen Clark, who also made it to paydirt in the game. LSU’s backup defense gave up a touchdown late to the Bulldogs on a 61-yard strike to Joshua Mickens.
“It was a tale of two different sides of the ball throughout most of the game,” Kiffin said after the win. “I thought our defense was lights out. When the first team defense was out there, I mean they gave up negative yards rushing..”
Leavitt also mentioned what this game means for the team. “It’s a big reality check for us,” the signal caller said. “After a game like this, you can have a lot more focus to hone in on those little details and get to work.”
Kiffin also mentioned that while the performance didn’t start well, the team is still in a really good place.
“We’re winning by 31 points and we’re really upset,” he said. “We’ve got a good standard going.”
Now, LSU’s attention joins the rest of the country as the battle between the Tigers and the Rebels of Ole Miss looms large. The Tigers come in ranked seventh while Pete Golding’s squad is ranked eighth. College Gameday will be on hand in Oxford, and it will be the national primetime game with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on the call.
LSU understands the importance of this one for several reasons, but it’s a homecoming of sorts for Kiffin, who built the Rebels into a national powerhouse from 2021-2025.
“A lot’s going to be made about me (returning to Oxford), but this is about the players being prepared really well and then playing really well,” Kiffin told the media on Monday in his weekly presser.
The early battle for SEC supremacy gets underway at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
