LSU Football Ranked No. 13 in 2026 Preseason Coaches Poll

Baton Rouge, LA [KNGT-FM] - With just four Saturdays standing between LSU and the kickoff of the 2026 football season, the wait is almost over, Tiger fans. The familiar excitement surrounding college football is starting to take over Louisiana, and now, the first major preseason ranking has given fans something else to talk about.

The LSU Tigers will begin the 2026 season ranked No. 13 in the preseason Coaches Poll. That ranking sets the stage for what could be one of the most entertaining seasons yet in Baton Rouge.

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While preseason polls don't determine what happens once the games begin, they do provide an early glimpse at how coaches around the country view the Tigers heading into the fall. And LSU won't have to look far for big-time challenges.

Death Valley is scheduled to welcome a loaded group of opponents in 2026. The Tigers will host Clemson, Louisiana Tech and McNeese in non-conference play before turning their attention to a brutal SEC home lineup featuring Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Alabama and Texas.

For fans across Louisiana, though, football season is about much more than rankings. It's tailgates in Baton Rouge. It's grills firing up before kickoff. It's crowded living rooms, back patios, family gatherings and Saturdays planned around LSU football.

That feeling is nearly here again. Four Saturdays from now, the waiting ends, and the Tigers take the field at home to host the Clemson Tigers in Death Valley on Saturday, September 5th.

2026 LSU Football Schedule

September 5 - vs Clemson
September 12 - vs Louisiana Tech
September 19 - at Ole Miss
September 26 -vs Texas A&M
October 3 - vs McNeese
October 10 - at Kentucky
October 17 - vs Mississippi State
October 24 - at Auburn
October 31 - BYE WEEK
November 7 - vs Alabama
November 14 - vs Texas
November 21 - at Tennessee
November 28 - at Arkansas

Currently, LSU is a 9.5-point favorite in the contest. The game will be televised nationally on ABC at 6:30 pm.