The 5 Biggest 'What If?' Questions Facing LSU This Season
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LSU's 2026 campaign will be one for the history books no matter what. It's the first season under Lane Kiffin and that alone will keep this season in the LSU history books forever.
But there are a lot of questions that surround LSU this season, from on-field development to mental strength. The Tigers can't let the what-ifs get to them after the season.
But in the time everyone waits for the season to start, LSU has some what-ifs facing it. Those same questions can determine the fate of the 2026 LSU Tigers.
What If the Lights Are Too Bright?
LSU has drawn such a massive amount of hype this offseason, creating lofty expectations and attracting the sights of the whole country this fall. Those eyes cast onto a program can create a pressure that can create an underdog mentality or a dangerous arrogance.
The outcome of that pressure for LSU will be something the team will learn with time. It'll take games and weeks of that pressure stacking up as the schedule goes on and gets deeper into SEC play.
If the pressure gets to teams and creates arrogance, that's when they fall apart and crash and burn.
That's a what if that LSU has to watch. It's controllable, arguably one of the most controllable factors in LSU's 2026 campaign.
What If the Defense Can't Take the Next Step?
LSU's defense was elite last season, building off of a season-long overhaul of the unit. The Tigers' defense went from one of the worst in all of FBS to the middle of the pack in Blake Baker's first season as defensive coordinator in 2024 to a top-25 unit in 2025.
The next step? A top unit nationally.
That's what LSU's defense is eyeing down in 2026.
But what if that doesn't happen?
What happens is that LSU remains as one of the better units, not the best, but if the Tigers hold exactly where they were last season, the Tigers can win games. The defense won LSU games in 2025, with a disastrous offense.
There's not much that points to LSU's defense taking a step back. So if there's no step up, LSU stays as one of the country's better defenses and can provide the offense with stability on the other side of the ball.
What If Close Losses Stack Up?
LSU's schedule in 2026 is tough, ESPN's 11th hardest schedule in the country.
So what happens if LSU drops games to other preseason teams with the same or more hype? What if LSU loses the games it's supposed to, and what if that is more than three games?
Is LSU out of the playoff, and is the season a failure?
No. It simply wouldn't be a failure.
This is a chance for LSU to find the identity that the generation of Tigers created in Baton Rouge. It's not about wins or losses for LSU in 2026; it's about identity and course correction for a program that the athletic department went awry for four seasons.
If losses stack up, LSU will miss its goals and fail to meet some external expectations. But it's only Year 1 of Kiffin's tenure, and the future is bright in Baton Rouge if 2026 goes off the rails.
What If Injuries Linger?
Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt is LSU's premier portal pickup.
The issue with Leavitt is that he's coming off of a season-ending Lisfranc injury and surgery last season and was limited in spring practices at LSU because of his recovery from the injury.
Joining him in missing time at spring camp was linebacker Whit Weeks.
Weeks is coming off a tumultuous 2025 campaign where he fought week after week to play and feel healthy.
His injury was a broken ankle that came in the bowl game of the 2024 season, and a bone bruise lingered throughout 2025. All signs point to him being fully healthy for 2026,
The good news is that they're both healthy and ready for fall camp.
But, if injuries linger for those two, LSU will be without two key players in 2026.
What If the Roster Can't Gel As A Team?
But perhaps the biggest question LSU will face this season is surrounding the largely unknown situation around the offense. It's not the scheme, that's proven, but the cohesion of the entire offense is not.
You can't take timing and trust from program to program when you transfer. That has to be built.
LSU has done a good job of building that trust and cohesion throughout spring practice, so building upon that through fall camp will solve a major problem LSU can face.
But what if it doesn't happen?
That will cause the offense to have miscues, miscommunication, and a lot of turnovers and failed drives.
That will kill LSU's momentum every game, and that will lead to LSU losing games in the same fashion they did last season: a disappointing offense that disrespects strong defensive play.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/lsu as The 5 Biggest 'What If?' Questions Facing LSU This Season.
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