LSU opens its third season under head coach Brian Kelly ranked No. 12 in the nation as the preseason AFCA Coaches Poll was released on Monday.
The Tigers are coming off a 10-3 mark and a win over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl last year. LSU closed the 2023 season winning four straight and seven of its last eight games. In two years, Kelly has guided LSU to 20 wins, a pair of bowl victories and the SEC Western Division title in his first season in 2022.
It’s the second consecutive year, and the 23rd time in 24 years, LSU opens the season ranked in the Top 25. Last year, the Tigers were No. 5 in the preseason AFCA Coaches Poll.
LSU’s season-opening opponent, USC, is ranked No. 23. The Trojans were 8-5 a year ago. It will mark the first meeting between LSU and USC since 1984 when the Tigers posted a 23-3 win over the Trojans in Los Angeles.
LSU welcomes three preseason Top 25 teams to Tiger Stadium in 2024 as the Tigers host No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 16 Oklahoma. Texas A&M, ranked No. 20, is the other preseason Top 25 team on the LSU schedule.
In all, nine of the 16 SEC teams are in the Top 25 led by Georgia at No. 1, followed by Texas at No. 4. Other SEC teams in the Top 25 include: Missouri at No. 11 and Tennessee at No. 15.
LSU wrapped up its fourth day of training camp on Monday in the first of what will be five practices this week. The Tigers are scheduled to practice in full pads for the first time on Wednesday.
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