LSU football schedule: 3 trap games LSU needs to be ready for

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LSU football is heading into one of the most pivotal seasons in the program’s recent history. After a frustrating few years, it appears that the Tigers are now prepared to make a return to the College Football Playoff.

LSU made a massive investment in the football program this offseason, bringing in Lane Kiffin and signing a 40-man transfer portal class that included three of the top five players on the market. Several Power Four general managers recently told On3’s Pete Nakos that they believe LSU has the largest payroll in the sport, with over $40 million spent on building the Tigers’ 2026 roster.

While it’s true that the Kiffin era in Baton Rouge isn’t expected to begin with a National Championship, the investment the school has made suggests that anything short of a playoff appearance would be a disappointment in 2026.

Here are three trap games that could cause the Tigers to fall short of that goal.

At Arkansas

Arkansas underwent some serious roster turnover after firing Sam Pittman and hiring former Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield, but they retained some key players and added a few more via the transfer portal.

Their quarterback room is a question mark, featuring a battle for the starting role between former four-star recruit KJ Jackson and former Memphis quarterback AJ Hill. However, with a veteran receiving corps and a talented bell cow running back in Braylen Russell, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Razorback offense pick up where it left off next season.

On the other side of the ball, Arkansas was fortunate to retain the team’s 2025 sack leader, Quincy Rhodes Jr., and they also added a couple of four-star transfers, linebacker Khmori House and cornerback Jahiem Johnson.

Another reason why this is a dangerous game for the Tigers is where it sits in the schedule. The three games that precede it are against Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee, and if LSU successfully navigates that stretch, they may have their sights set prematurely on the SEC Championship and postseason instead of the task at hand. 

The Battle for the Golden Boot has been a bit of a one-sided affair in recent years, but if LSU doesn’t show up to Fayetteville prepared, it could be a disaster.

Vs Mississippi State

This is a matchup that has historically favored LSU, but the Bulldogs have a few qualities that could prove to be trouble.

First, MSU’s offense is a tricky matchup for LSU. For all of the good Blake Baker has done as LSU’s defensive coordinator, his units have often struggled against mobile quarterbacks, a description that certainly fits the Bulldogs’ quarterback, Kamario Taylor. Although he still needs a lot of development as a passer, history indicates that Taylor and MSU running back Fluff Bothwell could create serious problems for the Tigers' defense.

MSU's defense was among the worst in college football last season, but they brought back a familiar name in Zach Arnett, their former defensive coordinator and head coach. While he was the Bulldogs’ DC in ’20, ’21, and ’22, they finished 18th, 33rd, and 11th in the FBS in ESPN’s defensive efficiency metric.

LSU hosts the Bulldogs in a favorable part of their schedule, but don’t be surprised if this game ends up being closer than many expect.

At Auburn

Auburn lost several key players this offseason, but they did a solid job reloading under their new head coach, Alex Golesh. They added former USF quarterback Byrum Brown through the portal, along with former Baylor running back Bryson Washington, who should pair well with the Tigers’ veteran back, Jeremiah Cobb. Those three, along with transfer receiver Keshaun Singleton and former four-star recruit Bryce Cain, could make for a lethal offense.

Auburn’s defense lost a lot of talent to the portal this offseason, but the continuity brought by defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin may help that unit perform better than most might anticipate in 2026.

The other concern with this game is that it falls right before the previously-mentioned tough finishing stretch in the Tigers’ schedule. If LSU gets caught up looking ahead at its matchups with Alabama and Texas instead of preparing accordingly for its trip to Auburn, things could turn bad quickly in this Tiger-on-Tiger faceoff.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football schedule: 3 trap games LSU needs to be ready for

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