BATON ROUGE — 2025 will mark the first year of the NCAA’s expanded College Football Playoff system, and LSU faces a challenging path if it hopes to qualify for the playoffs in its inaugural year.
The Tigers enter the season ranked No. 12 in the American Football Coaches Association poll. Five of their twelve regular-season opponents are ranked in the top 25, including No. 23 USC.
LSU’s quest for another National Title begins against the Trojans at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on September 1. This will be the first meeting between USC and LSU since 1984 when LSU secured a 23-3 victory in Los Angeles.
Last season, the Tigers finished 10-3, capping the year with a 35-31 win over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
While preseason expectations remain high, LSU starts this season several spots lower than last year, when they began ranked No. 5 in the nation. However, LSU continues to be one of the country’s most consistent football programs, marking the 23rd time in the last 24 seasons that the Tigers have opened the year ranked in the top 25.
Fortunately for LSU, Death Valley will host many of the team’s toughest matchups. The Tigers will play No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss, and No. 16 Oklahoma at home, but they’ll have to travel to College Station to face off against the No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies.
Could LSU also be eyeing its third Heisman Trophy winner in six years? Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier enters the season with the ninth-best odds to take home the trophy. Last year, Jayden Daniels began the season as the second-leading candidate behind USC’s Caleb Williams.
LSU is in its second week of training camp and is scheduled to practice in full pads for the first time on Wednesday.
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