The Tigers entered the 2023 season with high expectations as a top-five team coming off an SEC West title in Brian Kelly’s first season.
While LSU won 10 games for the second year in a row, it wasn’t ultimately competitive for a College Football Playoff spot. While the Tigers don’t enter 2024 with quite as high expectations, they are still projected to be in the playoff mix and begin the year ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP Top 25.
The Tigers come in at No. 12 in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, which was released earlier this month.
LSU has a lot to replace on offense after three players were drafted in the first round, but there’s confidence in experienced three-year backup [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] stepping into the starting role. Meanwhile, the Tigers will hope staff changes and portal additions can improve a defense that struggled mightily in 2023.
Kelly and the Tigers will face five teams ranked in the preseason top 25: No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 16 Oklahoma, No. 20 Texas A&M and No. 23 USC.
Here’s the full AP Top 25 entering the season.
| Ranking | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Bulldogs | 1,532 (46) |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 1,490 (15) |
| 3 | Oregon Ducks | 1,403 (1) |
| 4 | Texas Longhorns | 1,386 |
| 5 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 1,260 |
| 6 | Ole Miss Rebels | 1,189 |
| 7 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 1,122 |
| 8 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 1,060 |
| 9 | Michigan Wolverines | 995 |
| 10 | Florida State Seminoles | 971 |
| 11 | Missouri Tigers | 927 |
| 12 | Utah Utes | 887 |
| 13 | LSU Tigers | 804 |
| 14 | Clemson Tigers | 689 |
| 15 | Tennessee Volunteers | 629 |
| 16 | Oklahoma Sooners | 566 |
| 17 | Oklahoma State Cowboys | 538 |
| 18 | Kansas State Wildcats | 526 |
| 19 | Miami Hurricanes | 492 |
| 20 | Texas A&M Aggies | 292 |
| 21 | Arizona Wildcats | 237 |
| 22 | Kansas Jayhawks | 231 |
| 23 | USC Trojans | 172 |
| 24 | North Carolina State Wolfpack | 171 |
| 25 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 140 |
Others Receiving Votes
Louisville 111, Virginia Tech 77, Boise St. 47, SMU 33, Iowa St. 33, Liberty 32, Washington 23, West Virginia 17, Memphis 16, Nebraska 16, Wisconsin 15, UTSA 6, Tulane 5, Appalachian St. 4, Kentucky 3, Auburn 2, Colorado 1.
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