LSU Climbs to No. 7 as Top-10 Showdown With Ole Miss Looms

LSU is climbing fast. After opening the 2026 season at No. 11, the Tigers are now ranked No. 7 in both the AP Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Poll following a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech. With a 2-0 record, one of the nation's most dominant defenses and a top-three offense, LSU now heads to Oxford for a top-10 showdown with Ole Miss.

LSU moves to No. 7 in the latest 2026 rankings

LSU moved up one spot to No. 7 in both major national polls on September 13. The rise follows a 45-14 victory over Louisiana Tech and comes one week after LSU surged into the top 10 following its 51-10 season-opening win over Clemson.

The AP Top 25 now has LSU at No. 7, directly ahead of No. 8 Ole Miss. In the Coaches Poll, LSU is also No. 7 while Ole Miss is No. 9. LSU also received one first-place vote in the AP poll, another sign that the Tigers are beginning to enter the national-title conversation.

From No. 11 to No. 7 in two weeks

The move is not just the result of teams ahead of LSU losing. The Tigers have given voters tangible reasons to move them up. LSU opened the season by overwhelming Clemson 51-10, the program's largest margin of victory over a ranked opponent since the 48-7 win over No. 9 Virginia Tech in 2007. Then LSU handled Louisiana Tech by 31 points to improve to 2-0 under first-year head coach Lane Kiffin.

That has changed the tone around the program quickly. LSU entered the season as a highly regarded team with major expectations. Two games later, the Tigers are no longer simply a preseason projection. They are producing like one of the most complete teams in college football.

Why LSU's No. 7 ranking has real substance

Through two games, LSU leads the nation in total defense at 142.0 yards allowed per game. The Tigers rank No. 2 nationally against the run at 18.0 rushing yards allowed per game and No. 12 in pass defense at 124.0 yards per game.

The pass rush has been even more disruptive. LSU leads the nation with 12 sacks through two games, while edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen leads the country individually with five sacks.

And the offense is matching the defense with elite production. LSU ranks No. 3 nationally in total offense at 586.0 yards per game and No. 4 in passing offense at 358.0 yards per game. The Tigers are also averaging 228 rushing yards per game.

In two games, LSU has outscored Clemson and Louisiana Tech 96-24.

No. 7 LSU vs. No. 8 Ole Miss is now a true national event

The ranking jump could not come at a more dramatic time. LSU travels to Oxford next for a matchup with No. 8 Ole Miss in the AP poll. It will be the first meeting between LSU and Ole Miss since 1962 in which both teams enter ranked inside the top 10.

That alone would make the game one of the biggest on the college football calendar. Then add Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford as LSU's head coach, and the rivalry takes on another level of emotion. The atmosphere in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium should be hostile, loud and intensely personal.

For LSU, it is also the first opportunity of the season to turn a top-10 ranking into a top-10 road win. Beat Ole Miss in Oxford and the conversation changes again. At that point, LSU would have two marquee victories in its first three games and a résumé capable of pushing the Tigers even higher.

What LSU's No. 7 ranking means for the College Football Playoff

The AP Top 25 does not determine the College Football Playoff field, and September rankings guarantee nothing. The CFP selection committee will release its own rankings later in the season.

Still, early positioning matters because it reflects how the national media views a team's résumé, quality of play and championship potential. More importantly, LSU has a schedule that gives it repeated opportunities to build the kind of résumé the committee cannot ignore.

The SEC currently has six teams inside the AP top 10: No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Georgia, No. 7 LSU, No. 8 Ole Miss, No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 10 Alabama. Nine SEC teams are ranked overall. That guarantees movement as conference play begins, but it also gives LSU a path to collect high-value wins.

LSU has gone from interesting to dangerous

There is a difference between being ranked highly because of talent and being ranked highly because of performance. LSU is beginning to cross that line.

The defense has been suffocating. The pass rush has been relentless. The offense has produced nearly 600 yards per game. And LSU has already shown it can overwhelm a ranked opponent.

There is plenty left to prove. Two games do not make a championship season, and Louisiana Tech exposed enough mistakes to give Kiffin and his staff plenty to correct. But the larger picture is becoming difficult to dismiss: LSU looks balanced, explosive and physically capable of competing with anyone on its schedule.

Frequently asked questions about LSU's 2026 ranking

What is LSU ranked in football right now?

LSU is ranked No. 7 in both the AP Top 25 and the AFCA Coaches Poll as of September 13, 2026.

Why did LSU move up to No. 7?

LSU moved up after improving to 2-0 with a 45-14 win over Louisiana Tech. The Tigers also own a 51-10 win over Clemson and rank among the national leaders in both total offense and total defense.

Who does LSU play next?

LSU plays Ole Miss next in Oxford. Ole Miss is ranked No. 8 in the AP Top 25 and No. 9 in the Coaches Poll.

When was the last top-10 LSU vs. Ole Miss game?

The 2026 matchup is the first LSU-Ole Miss game since 1962 in which both teams enter ranked inside the top 10.

Where does LSU's defense rank nationally?

LSU ranks No. 1 nationally in total defense through two games, allowing 142.0 yards per game. The Tigers are also No. 2 in rushing defense and lead the nation with 12 sacks.

The bottom line

LSU started the season at No. 11. After two weeks, the Tigers are No. 7, have a first-place AP vote, lead the nation in total defense and rank third nationally in total offense.

Now comes the game that can validate all of it.

No. 7 LSU. No. 8 Ole Miss. Oxford. Lane Kiffin's return. A rivalry that has not featured two top-10 teams since 1962.

LSU has climbed into the national conversation. Next Saturday, the Tigers get the chance to prove they belong there — and maybe climb even higher.

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