Athlon Sports Releases College Football Preseason Top 25 Rankings For 2026

Athlon Sports is the latest publication to release a College Football Preseason Top 25 for the upcoming 2026 season.

In their rankings, LSU landed at No. 10.

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10. LSU

Biggest Strength: New coach Lane Kiffin and coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. should jumpstart a LSU offense that struggled mightily last season. The personnel is in place for a big step forward, including transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt (Arizona State) and offensive tackle Jordan Seaton (Colorado). The defense should remain among the best in the SEC under coordinator Blake Baker.

Biggest Fall Question: Expectations are high for Kiffin’s debut. How fast will all of the new pieces mesh with Kiffin’s schemes? For LSU to make the playoff, significant improvement is needed from the rushing attack and offensive line.

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LSU was ranked No. 13 in the Coaches Preseason Poll last week.

The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) preseason poll had LSU at No. 12.

These rankings suggest that LSU's projections are on the verge of making the 12-team playoff.