Breaking down the LSU Tigers with Pick Six Previews

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Football season gets officially underway in just five weeks.

Last week, I had the opportunity to talk with Brett Ciancia, the owner and creator of Pick Six Previews, one of the top Power 4 preview magazines out there. Looking specifically at the LSU Tigers, there’s a lot to look at from every possible angle.

When discussing the time that Brian Kelly spent as head coach, Ciancia says in his magazine: “2025 was set to be the big payoff season and after wins over #4 Clemson and Florida, LSU surged to #3 in the AP. The offense broke down and they lost to Ole Miss (-230 yardage margin), then again to Vanderbilt as they settled for four field goals in a seven-point decision. The loss to Texas A&M, with a 35-7 second half blowout, was the final straw. ‘Our fan base should be upset; that second half was unacceptable on any level,’ said Kelly. He was fired the next day.”

Now the page shifts to the Lane Kiffin era, where he and his staff have done a phenomenal job rebuilding the roster and getting it back to a level they felt was necessary. Since arriving in Baton Rouge, Kiffin has delivered. Ciancia said: “After several Top 3 transfer hauls at Ole Miss, Kiffin led LSU to the #1 overall transfer class this cycle complete with an insane 17 four/five-stars – the next closest had 12. LSU signed the best from each of the sport’s most important positions: #1 quarterback, #1 offensive tackle, #1 edge rusher. In total, the transfer class featured 11 starters off Power 4 teams, three more were allconference at the Non-AQ level, and 10 were former Top200 recruits. Speaking of recruiting, LSU signed another 11 blue-chippers in the 2026 high school class and on a per-player average they ranked #8 nationally.”

Bringing in key pieces like Sam Leavitt, Jordan Seaton, TJ Dottery, Eugene Wilson, and so many more will definitely add value to your roster, but it also adds high expectations. Mix those high expectations with the 11th toughest schedule in the country and it should make for a fun football season this fall.

“It’s been exciting to do that and to rebuild within a program,” Kiffin said at SEC Media Days. “To come off of a 7-6 season and then the expectations that everybody in the media has that we’re supposed to be this great team right away. That’s an awesome challenge.

You want to talk about getting uncomfortable. That does it. Expectations make you uncomfortable. They make you not be able to just go through the motions in any aspect of your program. So that’s been awesome.“

All in all, Ciancia had this to say about LSU’s season outlook: “Transition season or not, this is viewed as a Playoff or Bust roster. Kiffin has a proven track record building elite offenses, and no one has succeeded more with the transfer portal. The nation’s #1 transfer haul instantly moves LSU up from the SEC’s mid-tier to the crowded Playoff tier. LSU is my pick for #5 in the league, but with the added ninth conference game I do not see a repeat of 2025 when the SEC landed five playoff bids (four of the seven at-large spots).”

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