5 Storylines to Watch Most in LSU's Week 3 Matchup Against Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford will dominate the conversation surrounding Saturday's Magnolia Bowl, but once the ball is kicked off, several on-field battles could determine LSU's first SEC test of the season.

The Tigers and Rebels both enter the matchup undefeated and ranked inside the Top 10, setting the stage for one of the biggest games in the rivalry's recent history.

Here are five storylines to watch when LSU takes on Ole Miss.

1. Lane Kiffin's Return to Oxford

There really isn't another place to start.

Kiffin will walk into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the first time since leaving Ole Miss for LSU, facing many of the players, coaches, and fans he spent six seasons around.

He already acknowledged that he expects plenty of hostility, saying there will be "so much attention, hatred, everything on me."

The question is whether LSU can keep all of that outside noise from affecting what happens between the lines.

It also creates a fascinating coaching matchup with Pete Golding. Kiffin spent three seasons working alongside Golding at Ole Miss, meaning there won't be many secrets between the two staffs on Saturday night.

Kiffin knows how Golding wants to attack an offense. Golding knows what Kiffin doesn't want to see from a defense.

Now they get to put that familiarity to the test.

2. Can LSU Contain Trinidad Chambliss?

If LSU wants its impressive defensive start to carry into SEC play, Trinidad Chambliss presents its biggest test yet.

LSU knows firsthand what the Ole Miss quarterback is capable of doing.

Chambliss gave the Tigers problems in last season's Magnolia Bowl, hurting LSU with both his arm and his legs. His ability to extend plays and create offense outside the structure of a play makes him particularly difficult to defend.

That's where Saturday becomes an important test for LSU's defensive front.

Creating pressure won't necessarily be enough. The Tigers have to keep Chambliss contained while collapsing the pocket without opening running lanes.

LSU has made opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable through its first two games. Chambliss will test whether the Tigers can do the same against a quarterback capable of punishing an overly aggressive pass rush.

3. LSU's Defensive Front vs. Kewan Lacy

Sep 12, 2026; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers linebacker TJ Dottery (6) reacts to a play against Louisiana Tech Bulldogs during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

LSU's defensive front has been one of the biggest stories of the Tigers' 2-0 start.

Opponents have struggled to establish anything on the ground, while LSU's pass rush has consistently created pressure.

Now comes Kewan Lacy.

The Ole Miss running back gives the Rebels another legitimate threat alongside Chambliss and will provide LSU's front with its toughest rushing challenge of the young season.

The formula for the Tigers is relatively simple: Stop Lacy early and force Ole Miss into obvious passing situations.

That's when LSU can unleash its pass rush.

But if Lacy consistently keeps the Rebels ahead of the chains, Chambliss and the Ole Miss offense become significantly more difficult to defend.

Winning first down could go a long way toward deciding who controls Saturday's game.

4. Can Sam Leavitt Clean Up the Mistakes?

LSU's offense has shown plenty of explosiveness through two weeks.

It hasn't always been clean.

Sam Leavitt has flashed the talent that made him one of LSU's biggest offseason additions, but turnovers against Louisiana Tech provided Kiffin and the Tigers with something to correct before SEC play begins.

Against Louisiana Tech, LSU could survive those mistakes.

Against a Top-10 Ole Miss team on the road, the margin for error becomes considerably smaller.

Leavitt doesn't need to play perfect football. LSU does, however, need him to avoid giving Ole Miss extra possessions and short fields.

Saturday will be his first SEC start in an environment that should be as hostile as anything LSU sees this season.

How Leavitt handles that moment could tell us plenty about where this offense stands.

5. Can LSU Exploit the Ole Miss Secondary?

Ole Miss Defense — Sep 6, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Ole Miss Rebels defensive end Blake Purchase (3) and linebacker Suntarine Perkins (4) sack Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lincoln Kienholz (3) during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If there's an area LSU could look to attack, it may be the Ole Miss secondary.

The Rebels have shown vulnerabilities against the pass through the opening weeks of the season, creating an opportunity for Leavitt and LSU's receiving corps to push the ball downfield.

Trey'Dez Green has already emerged as one of LSU's most dangerous weapons, but the Tigers have enough options around him to make Ole Miss defend the entire field.

The chess match between Kiffin and Golding becomes particularly interesting here.

Few defensive coaches understand Kiffin's offensive tendencies better than Golding. At the same time, few offensive coaches understand exactly how Golding wants to disguise coverages and generate pressure better than Kiffin.

LSU has spent two weeks figuring out what this offense does well and where it still needs improvement.

Saturday is when the real evaluation begins.

The Kiffin storyline will command the headlines before kickoff, but the Magnolia Bowl ultimately gives LSU something much more important: its first legitimate measuring stick of the season.

Two undefeated Top-10 teams. An SEC opener. A hostile environment. And two programs that know each other exceptionally well.

After an offseason full of talk, there won't be much left to speculate about once LSU and Ole Miss finally meet in Oxford.

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