LSU football has reinvigorated some of the energy that surrounded the program in years past, as Lane Kiffin’s arrival has given the media real confidence in the Tigers’ chances of having a successful 2026 season.
That was especially evident in a recent poll from The Athletic, which interviewed 28 of its college football writers and editors to gather early predictions for who will win the 2026 national championship. The Tigers were one of only nine teams to earn a vote in this poll, joining Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Miami and Texas Tech.
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LSU wasn’t the biggest vote-getter, however. They earned only one vote, while Oregon led with nine, followed by Notre Dame with five and Texas with four.
There are two ways to look at this: one, Tiger fans can be frustrated that some of The Athletic’s writers are doubting the Tigers’ chances in 2026, or two, they can be happy that the Tigers were even included.
That sort of “participation trophy” mentality may be falling on deaf ears right now, but it’s important to recognize that every other team on this list has something LSU doesn’t: continuity. Every other team is returning its head coach from the prior season, and all but Indiana, Miami, and Texas Tech are returning their starting quarterback. The fact that LSU, a team that will be turning over the vast majority of its offensive roster and coaching staff, earned a vote in this poll should really only be seen as a positive.
In all fairness, it’s not like anyone has a clue what they’re doing when it comes to this. The Athletic conducted the same poll last year, and Texas earned 15 national championship votes, with LSU a close second with four. Only one of the four teams to play in this season’s semifinal received a vote, and that was Oregon.
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The point is, this poll isn’t necessarily gospel, but it’s interesting to see what the media outside Baton Rouge think of the Tigers’ 2026 chances.
2026 Season Schedule
Sat, Sep 5
HOME
vs Clemson
Tiger Stadium
Baton Rouge, La.
Sat, Sep 12
HOME
vs Louisiana Tech
Tiger Stadium
Baton Rouge, La.
Sat, Sep 19
AWAY
@ Ole Miss
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Oxford, Miss.
Sat, Sep 26
HOME
vs Texas A&M
Tiger Stadium
Baton Rouge, La.
Sat, Oct 3
HOME
vs McNeese
Tiger Stadium
Baton Rouge, La.
Sat, Oct 10
AWAY
@ Kentucky
Kroger Field
Lexington, Ky.
Sat, Oct 17
HOME
vs Mississippi State
Tiger Stadium
Baton Rouge, La.
Sat, Oct 24
AWAY
@ Auburn
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Jordan-Hare Stadium
Auburn, Ala.
Sat, Nov 7
HOME
vs Alabama
Tiger Stadium
Baton Rouge, La.
Sat, Nov 14
HOME
vs Texas
Tiger Stadium
Baton Rouge, La.
Sat, Nov 21
AWAY
@ Tennessee
Neyland Stadium
Knoxville, Tenn.
Sat, Nov 28
AWAY
@ Arkansas
Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Fayetteville, Ark.
What are LSU football’s odds to win the national championship in the 2026-27 season?
According to BetMGM, LSU’s championship odds are +1200, good enough to rank No. 7 in the country. LSU ranks ahead of SEC foes Alabama and Texas A&M.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football earns vote in latest 2026 national championship poll
