LSU Makes Big Jump In ESPN's College Football Power Rankings

ESPN updated their College Football Power Rankings after Week 7 and moved LSU up five spots to No. 11.

Here's what they had to say about the Tigers following the big win over Ole Miss:

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No. 11 LSU Tigers
Previous ranking: 16

The Tigers' growth on defense under first-year coordinator Blake Baker is obvious and remarkable, and showed up in huge ways during Saturday night's come-from-behind overtime win against Ole Miss. Baker's bunch bought a struggling Garrett Nussmeier and the offense enough time to rally and eventually win, but even if LSU had fallen short, the progress showed. Consider that LSU allowed 55 points and 706 yards -- by far the highest total the Tigers had allowed -- to Ole Miss in 2023, and already lost top defender Harold Perkins Jr. to a season-ending knee injury.

Continued excellence from players like Bradyn Swinson, Greg Penn III and Whit Weeks has given the defense a new streak of confidence. Nussmeier admitted Saturday was one of his worst performances, and he will need to be more efficient during a second-half schedule that includes Alabama, Texas A&M and others. But coach Brian Kelly is finally seeing his team's performance match its preparation, which keeps the College Football Playoff very much in play. -- Adam Rittenberg

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Power Rankings:
1. Texas
2. Oregon
3. Ohio State
4. Miami
5. Penn State
6. Georgia
7. Alabama
8. Clemson
9. Iowa State
10. BYU
11. LSU
12. Notre Dame
13. Indiana
14. Tennessee
15. Texas A&M
16. Boise State
17. Pittsburgh
18. Kansas State
19. SMU
20. Ole Miss
21. Army
22. Missouri
23. Illinois
24. Navy
25. Nebraska