The anticipation is already high for Lane Kiffin’s first season as the head coach of the Tigers, so you might as well get the most anticipated game of the season out of the way early.
LSU’s 2026 schedule was released on Thursday night and the Tigers will kick-off SEC play on September 19th as Kiffin will make his return to Oxford to take on the Ole Miss Rebels.
Ole Miss fans have nine months to think about all the nasty things they will scream at Kiffin as he takes field in purple and gold.
While the trip to the Magnolia State will be unpleasant, Kiffin will enjoy the 2026 home schedule, starting with the season opener against Clemson on September 5th.
LSU will also host Texas A&M on September 26th, Alabama November 7th and Texas makes its long-awaited visit to Death Valley on November 14th. The Longhorns were scheduled to play LSU in Baton Rouge in 2020, but the COVID season wiped that game off the calendar.
LSU will also host McNeese State on October 3rd and Louisiana Tech has been added to the schedule as the Bulldogs will return to Tiger Stadium to play LSU for a second consecutive season.
The nine-game SEC schedule means no non-conference game in November, but LSU finishes the regular season by playing back-to-back games on the road, at Tennessee on November 21st and Arkansas November 28th.
That means the last home game will be November 14th against Texas.
Also just one bye week next year as the calendar has returned to 13 weekends, instead of 14 weekends from Labor Day to Thanksgiving.
Is Frank Wilson returning?
LSU still does not have a running backs coach locked in for 2026.
The LSU Board of Supervisors approved term sheets for 11 assistant coaches on Thursday. That includes Charlie Weis Jr as offensive coordinator, Eric Wolford as offensive line coach, Nick Savage as the new strength and conditioning coach.
Related
There was speculation Ole Miss running backs coach Kevin Smith would follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge. But Michael Katz of the Northeast Mississippi Journal is reporting that there is a term sheet for Smith to remain the running backs coach at Ole Miss.
Green and Pickett staying
LSU and Nike announced an extension of their five-decade long partnership through 2036. Which means Nike will continue to be the official apparel company for LSU.
LSU will also be featured in Nike’s “Blue Ribbon Elite,” Name, Image and Likeness program, which will allow several LSU athletes across multiple sports endorse the Nike brand.
Tight end Trey’Dez Green and cornerback DJ Pickett are the two football players that have received Nike NIL deals as part of this ramped up partnership. Any concerns about those two players entering the transfer portal should be alleviated.