LSU football beat Clemson 51-10 in Week 1. That was good enough to jump a spot in Bill Connelly's and ESPN's SP+ rankings. LSU now sits at No. 9 heading into Week 2. Per SP+, LSU has the No. 14 offense and No. 2 defense.
SP+ labels Ohio State as the top team in the nation, followed by Georgia and Notre Dame. Georgia, Texas, and Texas A&M are the only three SEC teams to rank ahead of LSU.
If LSU is the ninth-best team in the country, the Tigers are firmly a contender for the College Football Playoff. Expectations were high entering the year, but the dominant Week 1 showing only raised hopes on the Bayou. Quarterback Sam Leavitt was electric, and the defense stifled Dabo Swinney's Clemson team.
Next up for LSU is a home game vs. Louisiana Tech. If
the Tigers handle business vs the Bulldogs, the attention turns to Ole Miss in Week 3. LSU at Ole Miss is one of the most anticipated games on the entire 2026 college football schedule as Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Where LSU football ranks in ESPN's updated SP+ ratings
