Three Bold LSU Predictions That Could Look Brilliant by November

The Lane Kiffin era in Baton Rouge inches closer and closer as week one of the 2026 season now sits under two months away, when the LSU Tigers will make their anticipated return to the field to take on the Clemson Tigers on September 5.

The Tigers will be heading into the season with renewed excitement after the program overhaul over the offseason and the return of lofty expectations to get back to the top of college football, as LSU has been before.

And as they returned to where they once stood, Kiffin did his part to create a roster with plenty of talent to give the Tigers the best chance at coming from week one.

Making predictions is always a shot in the dark, and even more so with LSU's upcoming season, but here are three bold predictions that could pan out towards the backend of the regular season.

Sam Leavitt Will Be One of the Top QBs in the SEC

Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Mountain America Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The biggest addition the Tigers made out of the transfer portal was bringing in quarterback Sam Leavitt to lead the LSU offense and run Kiffin's offensive scheme.

While Leavitt battled through an injury-riddled 2025 campaign, the last full season he played, the quarterback was one of the top signal callers in the nation, helping Arizona State reach the College Football Playoff in 2024.

That season, Leavitt tossed for 2,885 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to just six interceptions while holding a 61.7 percent completion percentage and 8.2 passing yards per completion.

Not only was Leavitt a solid passer, but he could also be productive on the ground, as he totaled 443 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

If the quarterback can return to full health in 2026, Leavitt is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who is a perfect fit for Kiffin's offensive system.

Leavitt can move around in the pocket and, if he can develop more as a passer, he will undoubtedly be in the mix at the top of the quarterbacks in the SEC.

The LSU Defense Will Remain a Top Unit in the SEC

Louisiana State Tigers linebacker Whit Weeks (40) reacts during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While a lot went wrong for the Tigers in 2025, one of the things that didn't was their defensive unit, which was one of the top in the SEC.

LSU held the No. 5 scoring defense, No. 6 total and passing defense, and No. 7 rushing defense, and the voice behind it, defensive coordinator Blake Baker, remains in Baton Rouge after the regime change.

LSU has plenty of talent across its defense to once again be one of the top units in the conference, with returning linebacker Whit Weeks leading from the middle, cornerback DJ Pickett, who showed flashes as a true freshman, and new edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen leading up front.

If the Tigers wish to contend in 2026, the defense, which has proven to be a strength, will have to continue, as the LSU offense will likely take some time to gel completely.

LSU Will Contend for a Spot in the College Football Playoff

LSU Tigers running back Caden Durham, LSU Tigers take on Southeastern Louisiana. Sept 20, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The LSU schedule is one of the tougher gauntlets in the country as it takes on three teams that reached the College Football Playoff a year ago and several other teams that are towards the top of the SEC.

In just the first four weeks of the season, the Tigers will have already battled Clemson, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M before the first month of the regular season concludes. However, LSU has more than enough talent on its roster to compete throughout the early part of the season and be rolling towards the final stretch.

The Tigers, who, if they can pick up big wins at the start of the season, will certainly be in the conversation for the postseason as they head into a tough November slate.

In the last month of the season, LSU faces Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee, and if the Tigers can manage some wins, their resume might be one of the best in the country.

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