Brian Kelly expects big things from LSU in Year 1 under Lane Kiffin

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There may be a bit of awkwardness between former LSU coach Brian Kelly and his ex-employer, but given his new role as an analyst with CBS Sports, Kelly must at least attempt to cover the Tigers objectively.

Despite the hard feelings he may have regarding his firing midway through last season, Kelly expects success in Year 1 for Lane Kiffin and the new Tigers staff. He gave his game-by-game predictions for LSU in 2026, and he projects optimism for his former program.

Kelly has the Tigers winning a pivotal season-opener against Clemson at home before stumbling in Week 3 on the road against Kiffin's former Ole Miss team. Kelly expects Rebels quarterback and Heisman contender Trinidad Chambliss to carry his team to a victory. After that, however, Kelly predicts that LSU will rip off six straight wins, bookended by home victories over rivals Texas A&M and Alabama.

He has the Tigers slipping up at home against Texas before closing the regular season with wins over Tennessee and Arkansas to finish 10-2.

Discussing LSU as a whole, Kelly praised Kiffin as an offensive coach and said he expects that unit to be humming this fall. Kelly said the Tigers' success this season will depend on keeping quarterback Sam Leavitt healthy, as he's coming off a season-ending injury and was limited in the spring.

Kelly also gave an optimistic prediction for his other former team, Notre Dame, whom he picked to run the table during the regular season and finish 12-0.

If Kelly's prediction comes to pass, it would almost certainly mean a College Football Playoff bid for the Tigers — something they failed to accomplish in Kelly's four seasons at the helm.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Brian Kelly expects big things from LSU in Year 1 under Lane Kiffin

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