BATON ROUGE – LSU is ranked No. 9 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, the organization announced on Monday.
It’s the 22nd time in the history of the preseason AP Top 25 – dating back to 1950 that the Tigers enter the year ranked in the Top 10. LSU last earned a preseason Top 25 ranking in 2023 when the Tigers opened the year No. 5.
Dating back to 2001, LSU has been ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 in all but one season (2022).
LSU’s season-opening opponent Clemson is ranked No. 4, creating the first Top 10 true road game matchup in week one for the Tigers in program history. A Top 10-ranked LSU team has opened the season against another Top 10 opponent twice in program history – both of those coming at neutral sites (2011 No. 4 LSU vs. No. 3 Oregon (Arlington, Texas); 2023 No. 5 LSU vs. No. 8 Florida State (Orlando, Fla.).
In addition to Clemson, LSU will face six teams in the preseason Top 25, a list that includes No. 8 Alabama, No. 13 South Carolina, No. 15 Florida, No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 19 Texas A&M and No. 21 Ole Miss. LSU welcomes South Carolina, Florida and Texas A&M to Tiger Stadium this year.
A total of 10 SEC teams are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 led by Texas at No. 1, followed by No. 5 Georgia, and No. 24 Tennessee.
LSU returns 14 players who started the Texas Bowl victory over Baylor to go along with the nation’s No. 1-ranked transfer portal class and a Top 10 freshman signing class for the 2025 season.