12 days, 12 opponents for the 12th Man: Previewing LSU
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You'd better have your popcorn ready for Texas A&M football's Week 4 matchup, as the Aggies travel down to Death Valley to face the LSU Tigers led by new head coach Lane Kiffin.
Between his relationship with Ole Miss and his attempt to bring NFL players to play for the Purple and Gold, Kiffin has become college football's biggest villain, a role that he has embraced with open arms. Behind all the madness is one of the sport's most elite offensive masterminds.
Kiffin's experience, philosophy and his innate ability to reel in some of the top recruits in the nation have led to much success with the Rebels over the last few years. Now, he is faced with turning around a blueblood program that hasn't been able to catch its footing.
There's a different feeling about this year's LSU squad. It boasts one of the top transfer classes in the country, brings back a plethora of returning veterans, and has an elite coaching staff. A week removed from playing the Rebels in Oxford, Kiffin's team will return to Tiger Stadium to host the Aggies, who have back-to-back wins over LSU in the last two seasons.
On the fourth day of the 12-day, 12-opponent series, here is our preview of Texas A&M's matchup against LSU in Baton Rouge on Sept. 26.
Tale of the tape: LSU's defense
Defensive coordinator: Blake Baker
Defensive style: 4-2-5
Since hiring defensive coordinator Blake Baker, this LSU defense has been revitalized and is back to its physical and dominant ways. The unit ranked 27th nationally in 2025, allowing just 328.7 yards per game, while also ranking 15th with a 71.2% defensive stop rate. Whit Weeks returns to anchor the linebacking corps with his veteran presence, while Ole Miss transfer edge rusher Prince Umanmielen looks to wreak havoc and continue being a quarterback's worst nightmare. With a good nucleus of returning veterans and transfer talent, this group should make more strides toward being a top-three unit in the SEC in 2026.
Tale of the tape: LSU's offense
Offensive Coordinator: Charlie Weis Jr.
Offensive style: Veer-and-shoot
If you could conjure up the best offensive style to put Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt in, it would be Charlie Weis Jr. and Kiffin's high-paced, veer-and-shoot concept in Baton Rouge. While Leavitt spent much of the offseason rehabbing an ankle injury that sidelined him much of last year, reports point toward a full recovery in time for their season opener against Clemson. Pairing his athleticism and arm strength with returning tight end Trey'Dez Green is a dangerous combination that will provide a massive challenge for Texas A&M's secondary. The Tigers also have a slew of talented running backs, including Wisconsin transfer Dillin Jones, who has made waves during fall camp as LSU's potential starter.
Game Prediction
Score prediction: LSU 35 | Texas A&M 27
This isn't the same LSU team that Texas A&M has dominated over the last two seasons. Regardless of what people think of Kiffin as a person, he remains one of college football's most elite head coaches. He takes risks and can hurt you in various ways, including with high-tempo and RPOs that give defensive coordinators nightmares. The Aggies have the talent to compete with the Tigers, but having to travel to Tiger Stadium is always a challenge. I have Texas A&M dropping its first contest of the 2026 season against LSU in what should be a fun and competitive contest in Death Valley in Week 4.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 12 days, 12 opponents for the 12th Man: Previewing LSU
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