LSU football suffered its first loss of 2026 and the first of the Lane Kiffin era. The Tigers fell to Ole Miss, Kiffin's old team, 32-24 in Oxford. They showed fight down the stretch after falling into a 17-0 hole but couldn't quite turn the corner.
In a top-10 showdown, LSU and Ole Miss both needed the win to bolster their postseason resumes and standing in the SEC. Both added to each other's strength of schedules, but it's the Tigers who need to avoid another slip-up to stay in contention for the College Football Playoffs. ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) considers the game a quality matchup.
LSU jumped two spot to No. 7 in the country with a 20.4 rating. It ranks fourth among SEC teams behind Texas, which is tied with Ohio State at 28.1, Georgia
(27.1) and Alabama (22.5). The Rebels benefitted from the win, jumping four spots to No. 12 with a 17.7 rating.
The Football Power Index, per ESPN, "is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season." The road stays tough for LSU as it faces Texas A&M on Saturday. The Aggies lost to Kentucky at home in Week 3.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football climbs ESPN's FPI rankings despite Ole Miss loss
