Kirk Herbstreit makes clear the best team in college football after Week 3

Herbstreit crowns LSU as college football’s best after defensive showcase.

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit picked the LSU Tigers as college football's top team and highlighted their defense after Week 3. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit didn’t hesitate when asked who he thought was the best team in the country after Week 3. He named the LSU Tigers, citing their dominant defense as the key to their success early in the season.

Herbstreit pointed to LSU’s recent win over Florida as proof of the turnaround under defensive coordinator Blake Baker. The Tigers picked off Florida quarterback DJ Lagway five times and held the Gators to just 79 rushing yards in a 20-10 victory at Tiger Stadium.

“I look at LSU and maybe it’s because I saw them in person when they played Clemson,” Herbstreit said on Monday during his Nonstop podcast with co-host Joey Galloway. “I saw their defense and I just thought Blake Baker is one of the top defensive coordinators in the country. They made intentional adjustments to their front and secondary. It’s one of the big stories in the sport after three weeks.”

LSU Defense Carries The Load

The Tigers struggled offensively again, but Baker’s unit took control. Sophomore safety Dashawn Spears returned an interception 58 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, one of five takeaways on the night. AJ Haulcy, Tamarcus Cooley and freshman DJ Pickett also had interceptions, giving LSU its first five-pick game since 2020.

Florida’s best chance for a big play came when Jadan Baugh broke free for an 87-yard score, but a holding penalty erased it. Outside of that break, LSU limited Florida to 4.8 yards per play and pressured Lagway on 42 percent of his dropbacks.

LSU Tigers linebacker West Weeks (33) leads the team with 27 total tackles. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Even after losing linebackers Whit and West Weeks, the defense never wavered. “To be a successful defense, you have to be aggressive,” defensive end Jack Pyburn said. “We have the ball players to be aggressive.”

Brian Kelly credited punter Grant Chadwick, who averaged 50.4 yards, for giving the defense room to work. He bristled when the first postgame question was about the offense. “Stop. Really? Is that the first question? We played the game to win the game,” Kelly said.

Offense Must Improve For Title Run

LSU’s offense remains the concern. The Tigers managed just 10 first downs and punted on seven of 12 possessions. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier finished 15 of 27 for 220 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He showed flashes, including a 65-yard connection with tight end Bauer Sharp, but LSU didn’t score an offensive point in the second half.

Running back Caden Durham’s 51-yard burst in the final minutes nearly doubled LSU’s rushing output. Without it, the Tigers would have had fewer than 50 rushing yards. Still, Herbstreit believes LSU’s defense is strong enough to keep them in the playoff conversation.

LSU Tigers running back Caden Durham (29) has 196 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 45 carries this season. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Baker’s second season has transformed the unit into one of the nation’s best, reminiscent of the elite LSU defenses from the early 2010s. Herbstreit sees that as the foundation of a contender, even as the offense works through its issues. LSU has one more nonconference test before the SEC schedule ramps up.

The Tigers will host Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday night in Baton Rouge.