Every Swing Game on LSU's 2026 Football Schedule

Lane Kiffin and LSU are going to have their hands full in 2026.

Marquee matchups line the schedule but are packed into two main groups on the schedule, one in the first month of the season and one in the final month. LSU's projected record can be anywhere from 7-5 to 12-0 due to the volatility of many of the matchups.

LSU has one of the strongest rosters in the country on paper, but there's still no telling what's going to happen when the Tigers meet some of their conference foes on the field. These games could go either way.

Ole Miss - Sept. 19

Whit Weeks attempts to tackle Kewan Lacy in a 2025 game | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The whole country is going to be tuned in when LSU heads to Oxford in September. Kiffin and many of his players return to their former school in a game that is going to come down to the wire.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy returned to Ole Miss to improve upon their run to the College Football Playoff semifinals in 2025. That duo is going to put intense pressure on LSU's defense.

LSU's offensive attack should be able to move well against Ole Miss' defense, so this should be a high-scoring game—though it probably won't reach the 55-49 final score of the 2023 matchup.

Texas A&M - Sept. 26

Garrett Nussmeier looks down the field in a 2025 game against Texas A&M | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas A&M has taken full adventage of LSU over the last two years. The Tigers have always had the Aggies' number when the two teams were stacked up, but not in the Brian Kelly era. Now that it's over, LSU has a path to getting back on track against Texas A&M.

LSU has been beat the last two years by Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed. But LSU now has an experienced defensive group and staff, and plenty of transfers highlighted by edge Princewill Umanmielen and safety Ty Benefield.

The Tigers experienced linebacker group should also be able to slow him down. But Texas A&M is still a team that was in the playoffs last year and cannot be overlooked. Like most matchups in this series, this one can go either way.

Alabama - Nov. 7

Barion Brown is defended by an Alabama defensive back in 2025 | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

This matchup is a swing game almost every year, and LSU is coming into this matchup with its best chance to win since the Tigers upset Alabama in 2022. Alabama was a playoff team last year and returned many of its pieces, but lost its quarterback Ty Simpson.

LSU should be favored as both teams head into this game off a bye, but the Tigers haven't had much luck at home against Alabama outside of that 2022 game. Alabama loves to play spoiler in Baton Rouge and has a good enough team to do it again in 2026.

Texas - Nov. 14

Ja'Marr Chase avoids a Texas defender in a 2019 game | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

This game will have SEC championship implications as the teams play their 10th game of the year in Baton Rouge. Texas was just outside of the playoff picture in 2025 and returns star quarterback Arch Manning.

The Longhorns also bring one of the best wide receiver groups in the country into this game, but LSU is ready to punch them back in the mouth with cornerbacks DJ Pickett and PJ Woodland, along with Benefield and Dashawn Spears also in the secondary.

This will probably be LSU's toughest game of the year and a perfect showcase for what needs to be improved heading into the final two weeks of the season and the postseason.

Tennessee - Nov. 21

Brian Thomas Jr. catches the ball against a Tennessee defender in 2022 | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

This game isn't getting talked about enough as a tough game for LSU. The quarterback position for Tennessee is still an unanswered question, but almost every piece of the Volunteer's offense was with Tennessee last year which give it a big experience boost compared to other schools.

The only projected starter that wasn't with the team last year is left tackle Ory Williams, who played at LSU last year and looked like a stud in the making. Tennessee is going to have an argument to make to make the playoff, and since this game comes in week 12, it could be the Vols' last chance to make a push to the postseason.

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