The 2026 college football season will officially begin with a pair of Week 0 matchups on August 29, featuring North Carolina taking on TCU in Dublin, Ireland, and North Carolina State facing Virginia on home turf.
A few days later, on August 4, the US LBM Coaches Poll will be unveiled in a live broadcast on USA TODAY Sports' YouTube channel, giving fans their first glimpse of how teams are expected to rank heading into the new year.
Kiffin Takes the Helm
Lane Kiffin, the former USC and Ole Miss assistant who most recently led the Rebels to a surprise bowl win, was hired by LSU in early December after Brian Kelly's abrupt exit. His offensive philosophy emphasizes speed and versatility, traits that could help the Tigers rebound from a 7‑6 record in 2025.
The Tigers open their season on September 5 against Clemson, a traditional powerhouse, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central Time, and the game will be streamed live on the SEC Network.
Offseason activity has been intense, with LSU completing more than 40 transfers into the program while seeing 38 players depart. The influx of new talent includes several highly rated quarterbacks and defensive backs, but chemistry will be a key question as the team gels.
Kelly's tenure ended abruptly during the 2025 campaign, when the university’s athletic director announced his dismissal after a string of underwhelming performances. The move cleared the way for Kiffin’s arrival and set the stage for a rapid rebuild.
If the Tigers can translate their revamped roster into on‑field cohesion, early polls suggest they could break into the Top 25 and contend for a New Year’s Six berth. The upcoming preseason release will be the first indicator of how the broader college football community views LSU’s prospects.