Why LSU Was Picked Seventh in the SEC Despite National Title Buzz

There have been a few notable additions to the roster, but is it enough to keep LSU in the SEC title race?

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's almost impossible to ignore the LSU Tigers during the 2026-27 season. Lane Kiffin's sudden departure from Ole Miss to LSU quickly grabbed the nation's attention, and now everyone wants to know how Kiffin's first season in Baton Rouge will play out.

The Tigers wasted no time addressing needs through the transfer portal. They have one of the largest portal classes in the country, which makes fall camp that much more important to establish roles and chemistry.

LSU has generated some College Football Playoff buzz during the offseason. However, they were picked to finish seventh in the SEC Media Preseason Poll. Is that ranking too harsh or maybe realistic for Kiffin's first year with the program?

The Expectations Should Be Higher Than Seventh Place

LSU president Wade Rousse, left, LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ultimately, it isn't too surprising to see the Tigers undervalued before the season begins. LSU has too many unknowns at the moment. Until the season begins, those doubts will only echo louder.

The Tigers' offense could have up to seven or eight new starters. It starts with quarterback Sam Leavitt. When he's been healthy, he's an elite multi-threat quarterback. But what if he can't stay healthy? It diminishes LSU's ceiling if their signal-caller is on the sidelines.

The defense has more returning production, but even Blake Baker will have to work with several new players. The talent is there on paper, but how it will look together is the bigger concern it seems.

The best way they can erase those doubts is on the field. The expectations should be much greater than a seventh-place finish. It doesn't matter that LSU is welcoming in a new team and coaching staff. The university hired Kiffin to produce immediate results, not to sit and be patient. If the Tigers don't turn this ship around quickly, it could turn into a disaster.

It's hard to decipher where they sit on the SEC totem pole. Teams like Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Texas A&M are projected to be at the top, leaving little room for error with a team like LSU. Luckily, the Tigers have a chance to beat all of those teams.

The Tigers will square off against Ole Miss and Texas A&M in back-to-back weeks before games against Alabama and Texas later in the season. Only time will tell if the media was right in their evaluation of LSU.

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