Im hoping our game at LSU is an early one. They typically dont play well at home when its an early kick off. The following game for LSU is against Bama! I want to beat LSU in Baton Rouge!!!
Photo by Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Texas A&M Football
Brian Kelly has turned up the heat at LSU before his seat gets hotter
All college football teams want to win. Better teams expect to win. Elite programs demand to win.
Demands aren’t new to LSU. And if demands aren’t met, football coaches frequently end up on the proverbial hot seat.
Examples: Former coaches Ed Orgeron and Les Miles both won national titles but were eventually fired.
A place on the hot seat is seemingly being prepared for fourth-year coach Brian Kelly.
Interestingly enough, Kelly himself has turned up the heat.
Noting LSU returns a good nucleus from last year’s nine-win team, attracted the nation’s top-rated group of transfers and signed a top-10 recruiting class, Kelly has proclaimed the 2025 team is his most talented at LSU.
“This is the best roster we’ve put together since I’ve been at LSU,” Kelly said last month. “We’ve developed younger players in our programs. We’ve taken some licks because of it, and we’ve added some veteran players. In my eyes, this is the best roster we’ve had. Now, we’ve got to go prove it.”
“This is the best roster we’ve put together since I’ve been at LSU. We’ve developed younger players in our programs. We’ve taken some licks because of it, and we’ve added some veteran players. In my eyes, this is the best roster we’ve had. Now, we’ve got to go prove it.”
For Kelly’s sake, the Tigers better prove it.
Under Kelly, LSU is 29-11. His teams have won at least nine games each season. That’s very good.
But good seasons — even 10-win seasons — don’t necessarily meet the demands in Baton Rouge.
If the best roster doesn’t produce his best result at LSU, the heat on Kelly will likely be turned up.
Fortunately for him, the skill position talent very well could be a “fire Kelly” extinguisher.
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is a Heisman contender. He could also be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He threw for more than 4,000 yards last season but needs to reduce his interception total.
Receiver Aaron Anderson is a big-play threat. So are transfer additions Nic Anderson and Barion Brown and sophomore running back Caden Durham.
However, there are questions up front where LSU must replace four drafted starters on the offensive line. That includes All-SEC tackles Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr.
Transfer Josh Thompson of Northwestern will undoubtedly help, but the blocking, especially in pass protection, probably won’t be as good.
Defense is an even bigger point of concern.
The Tigers’ defense has underperformed the last five seasons. Though linebackers Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins Jr. have star potential, LSU has been vulnerable against the run and merely average in pass defense.
The hope is that several transfers can significantly upgrade the defense.
Kelly thinks they will.
“We believe we've put a football team that can go on the road, and when you go on the road, you really have to be better defensively,” he said. “That's really the key here. We're going to be better defensively.”
Kelly better get proof, or it might get hotter than usual in Baton Rouge.
Louisiana State Tigers
Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Garrett Nussmeier passed for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing 64.2 percent of his passes.
2024 record: 9-4, 5-3 in the SEC
Primary area of strength: The passing game was ranked among the nation’s top 10 last season. It projects to be as highly productive again. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is a Heisman contender. The additions of transfers Barion Brown and Nic Anderson add to an already fast receiving corps that returns Aaron Anderson — last year’s leading receiver — and Chris Hilton Jr. Trey’Dez Green is also a solid tight end prospect.
Primary area of concern: Over the last five seasons, LSU’s defense has been mediocre at best. Last season, the Tigers ranked 61st nationally in total defense. Linebackers Will Weeks and Harold Perkins Jr. headline the defensive unit, but transfers Jack Pyburn (defensive end), cornerback Mansoor Delane (Virginia Tech) and safety Tamarcus Cooley (NC State) are counted for an upgrade.
Top returners
- QB Garrett Nussmeier: A year ago, Nussmeier ranked fifth in the nation in passing. He threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns. However, he does have a tendency to throw interceptions. He threw 12 in 2024.
- LB Whit Weeks: A first-team All-SEC selection in 2024. Weeks was second in the conference with 125 tackles.
- LB Harold Perkins Jr.: Perkins, who plays the end/linebacker hybrid star position, is back from an injury that forced him to miss most of last season. Frankly, he’s underperformed since his freshman year when he had 8.5 sacks and 73 tackles. But he has so much talent that he’s capable of having a big year.
Key additions
- WR Barion Brown: Speedy transfer had 29 receptions for 361 yards and three touchdowns for Kentucky last season. He also averaged 24.9 yards on kickoff returns.
- DE Jack Pyburn: Edge rusher posted a sack, 60 tackles and four tackles for loss for Florida last season.
- CB DJ Pickett: Five-star recruit is expected to upgrade LSU’s marginal pass coverage.
Key losses
- LB Greg Penn: Ranked second in tackles for LSU in 2024. He had 1.5 sacks and was credited with 8 quarterback pressures.
- WR Kyren Lacy: He led LSU with nine touchdown receptions in 2024. Lacy also had 58 catches for 866 yards.
- LT Will Campbell: Consensus All-American and two-time All-SEC selection, Campbell was the fourth player taken in the NFL Draft.
2025 LSU Schedule
- Aug. 30 at Clemson
- Sept. 6 vs. Louisiana Tech
- Sept. 13 vs. Florida
- Sept. 20 vs. Southeastern Louisiana
- Sept. 27 at Ole Miss
- Oct. 11 vs. South Carolina
- Oct. 18 at Vanderbilt
- Oct. 25 vs. Texas A&M
- Nov. 8 at Alabama
- Nov. 15 vs. Arkansas
- Nov. 22 vs. Western Kentucky
- Nov. 29 at Oklahoma
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