The wait is finally over.
One of the most anticipated LSU football seasons in years begins this week as the Tigers report for preseason camp on Tuesday and take the practice field for the first time Wednesday.
A lot has changed since LSU's ugly second-half collapse against Texas A&M on Oct. 25 that led to the firing of head coach Brian Kelly. Athletics director Scott Woodward was also dismissed, and LSU stunned the college football world by hiring Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss, where he had built one of the Rebels' best teams in decades.
Kiffin brought most of his offensive staff from Oxford, retained cornerstone players like Trey'Dez Green and Whit Weeks, aggressively attacked the transfer portal with significant NIL resources, and added several elite high school recruits. On paper, LSU has assembled a roster capable of competing for a college football playoff berth.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt is the biggest addition and will ultimately determine how far the Tigers go. But here are five other keys to LSU reaching the College Football Playoff.
1. Reviving the Running Game
LSU finished last in the SEC in rushing offense in 2025. That's an area Kiffin has consistently emphasized. Ole Miss ranked sixth in the conference in rushing offense last season while leading the SEC in rushing touchdowns.
Harlem Berry and Caiden Durham return after showing flashes of explosiveness, but neither found consistent production behind an offensive line that struggled in 2025.
Wisconsin transfer Dillin Jones could quickly become a major factor. Jones started for the Badgers before a turf toe injury ended his season after seven games. He was one of the biggest surprises of spring practice and could emerge as LSU's starting running back.
Leavitt's mobility should also add another dimension to LSU's ground attack.
2. A Better Offensive Line
The offensive line was LSU's biggest weakness in 2025.
The Tigers addressed that issue by landing former Colorado tackle Jordan Seaton, widely regarded as one of the top offensive linemen in the transfer portal. Maryland transfer Aliou Bah is expected to start at guard, while Barelin Moore returns at center and Weston Davis is back at right tackle after an up-and-down freshman season.
Bo Bordelon enters camp battling Ole Miss transfer Devin Harper for the remaining starting spot.
The biggest question entering August is whether another lineman emerges and gives LSU much needed depth.
3. Finding Go-To Receivers
Replacing LSU's previous receiving production won't fall on one player.
Kiffin brought in nine transfer receivers, believing the Tigers are better off with six or seven dependable playmakers rather than relying on one superstar.
Kansas State transfer Jayce Brown arrives with the most production after totaling 88 receptions for 1,535 yards and 10 touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Ole Miss transfer Winston Watkins already knows Kiffin's offense after catching 26 passes for 373 yards as a freshman.
Former Hawaii receiver Jackson Harris averaged nearly 20 yards per catch last season and could become LSU's vertical threat.
Florida transfer Eugene Wilson brings valuable SEC experience after recording 107 catches for 1,043 yards and 10 touchdowns during his career with the Gators.
Developing chemistry between Leavitt and this rebuilt receiving corps will be one of the biggest storylines of camp.
4. Keeping Whit Weeks Healthy
Few players are more important to LSU's defense than Whit Weeks.
The senior linebacker enters the season healthy. He suffered a broken ankle in the first half of the Texas Bowl against Baylor on Dec. 31, 2024, returned before he was fully recovered in 2025, then re-injured the ankle during the Ole Miss game.
Even after returning, Weeks wasn't the same player.
Now healthy, Weeks hopes to anchor a defense that Kiffin believes can once again become one of the SEC's most physical units.
5. Replacing Mansoor Delane and Strengthening the Secondary
One of the few bright spots from LSU's disappointing 2025 season was the emergence of lockdown cornerback Mansoor Delane.
Replacing his production won't be easy, especially after Aidan Anding suffered a torn Achilles during spring practice.
Sophomore DJ Pickett and veteran PJ Woodland are expected to open camp as the starting cornerbacks. Woodland provides experience entering his third season, while Pickett has tremendous upside after earning Freshman All-America honors.
Former Florida corner Ja'Keem Jackson and former John Curtis standout Michael Turner provide valuable depth, while freshmen Dez Ellis and Havon Finney Jr. will also compete for playing time.
This group will benefit greatly if LSU develops a consistent pass rush. Edge rushers Jordan Ross and Princewill Umanmielen need to have big seasons, while veteran free safety Ty Benefield will be counted on to stabilize the back end of the defense.
If those pieces come together, LSU has the talent to return to the College Football Playoff and compete for its first national championship since 2019.
