A New Face In The SEC Might Be the Biggest Upset Threat to LSU in 2026

The LSU Tigers have had one of the most productive offseasons in college football history, landing them a new head coach and quarterback in Lane Kiffin and Sam Leavitt, respectively.

And thanks to Kiffin's status as the "Transfer Portal King," LSU's roster got a total makeover during the downtime before spring training camps, prepping them for a return to form as one of the SEC's best teams after a relatively down year in 2025, especially in the latter half.

While LSU is expected to run rampant over the competition this season, the chance of an upset is still very much likely, and there's one opponent in particular that could play spoiler and make LSU's lives a little bit difficult as they hunt for a College Football Playoff berth.

The Tigers Could Be Tamed By... The Tigers?

LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels (5) runs the ball as the LSU Tigers take on the Auburn Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023. | SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Playing on the road in college football is no easy task for anybody, let alone playing on the road in the SEC, and when the Tigers load the bus for Jordan-Hare Stadium to face the Auburn Tigers, they had best not have their heads too high.

Auburn will be in its first year under head coach Alex Golesh, who comes over after a successful campaign with the South Florida Bulls.

The 2025 season for Auburn wasn't necessarily a good one, as they went 5-7 on the year and 1-7 in games against SEC teams, but then again, they weren't getting blown out of the stadium every week or anything.

In fact, all but one of the team's losses were decided by one score, which included near wins to start the conference slate against the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas A&M Aggies, both of whom were either in or around the top 10 at that point in time.

Regardless of how well or poorly the Tigers are doing in the season, Jordan-Hare Stadium has frequently been listed as one of college football's most hostile gameday environments and has served as an intimidating setting for visiting teams to do battle in, which could spell even more danger for LSU in "The Tiger Bowl."

The intimidation didn't get to LSU the last time they visited Auburn in 2022, however, as Jayden Daniels' 80 passing yards and additional 59 on the ground (including one touchdown) proved to be just enough for a 21-17 win.

Auburn has proved to be a trap for highly ranked teams in the past, though, as a No. 15 Texas A&M team went to Jordan-Hare against an unranked Auburn squad and ended up falling victim to a 43-41 quadruple-overtime effort from the home team, severely damaging their playoff hopes in the process.

LSU has seemed to have it under control against their fellow Tigers from Auburn, but that is no reason for the team to overlook this game on the 2026 schedule.

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