Ranking LSU Football’s toughest remaining opponents in 2025

LSU football suffered a particularly painful loss to Ole Miss this weekend. The Tigers walked into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium as the fourth-ranked team in the country, only to wake up Sunday morning having dropped to 13th in the US LBM Coaches Poll.

The Tigers entered the season aiming for a championship, but their chances of even reaching the playoffs now sit at just 23.4%. Their path to reaching the postseason is a tough one, with ESPN ranking their remaining strength of schedule as the 12th-toughest in the nation, with teams like Texas A&M, Alabama, and Oklahoma left on the schedule. 

Given the fact that LSU can no longer afford to make mistakes this season if they want to reach the CFP, it feels like it’s time to take a look at who LSU’s most formidable remaining opponents are this season.

7. Western KentuckyHilltoppers

This is the easy pick, as the Hilltoppers are the only non-Power Four opponent remaining on LSU’s schedule. They aren’t a team that LSU can take their eye off of by any means, but compared to the others, they don’t match up.

LSU and Western Kentucky will face off on November 22nd.

6. Arkansas Razorbacks

This ranking could appear too low in a couple of weeks, but that depends entirely on how the team reacts to head coach Sam Pittman’s firing.

The Razorbacks have a potent offense, led by talented redshirt senior quarterback Taylen Green. That group is averaging 37.4 points per game, which ranks 29th in the nation.

Arkansas’ problem lies in its defense, which has allowed an average of 465 total yards and 43 points per game over its last three outings. This matchup should certainly end with a win for the Tigers, but it will require their offense to have a strong performance, something that's yet to be seen against an FBS opponent this season.

LSU and Arkansas will face off on November 15th.

5. South Carolina Gamecocks

South Carolina and the team to follow are arguably the two toughest teams to rank on LSU’s schedule. The Gamecocks boast one of the most talented rosters in the nation, but they have underperformed so far this season, with losses to Missouri and Vanderbilt.

However, when they're hot, they're an extremely tough team to beat, featuring a true sophomore phenom at edge rusher in Dylan Stewart on one side of the ball, and the potential No. 1 overall pick in LaNorris Sellers on the other.

Given LSU’s struggles at offensive tackle this season, Stewart could be a one-man wrecking crew for LSU’s already weak offensive attack. They will have to dedicate a lot of attention to Stewart to keep him from ruining the game, and given his talent, even that might not be enough.

Then there’s Sellers, a special dual-threat quarterback whose playstyle has consistently given LSU’s defense problems in recent years. Sellers has been hurt for the past couple of weeks after suffering an injury against Vanderbilt in Week 3, but he’s expected to be at full health against LSU, as the Gamecocks are on a bye this week.

LSU and South Carolina will face off on October 11th.

4. Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt proved last season that they’re no longer an afterthought in the SEC, and they’ve continued that trend into 2025 with double-digit wins over Virginia Tech and South Carolina. 

Vanderbilt managed to score 31 points against a stout South Carolina defense, and their own defense kept them in consistently good field position with four turnovers. The Commodores' offense is one to look out for with quarterback Diego Pavia at the helm, and their defense has allowed only 17.2 points per game.

This game is one the Tigers should win, but Vanderbilt could definitely catch them flat-footed if they aren’t careful.

LSU and Vanderbilt will face off on October 18th.

3. Texas A&M Aggies

This matchup likely brings back frustrating memories for LSU fans, as the Aggies’ 31-point second-half surge last season kick-started a three-game losing streak for the Tigers. The backup quarterback who led that comeback, Marcel Reed, is now the starter for the Aggies, and he’s leading an offense that’s averaging just under 36 points per game.

A&M’s defense is LSU's main concern in this one, however. PFF has awarded that group numerous top grades, with the Aggie run defense earning an 85.7, the run defense an 82.4, the pass rush a 77, and the coverage an 82.4.

Given LSU’s consistent offensive struggles this season and the fact that A&M’s defense will likely be the best the Tigers have faced so far in 2025, this matchup will be a serious test.

LSU and Texas A&M will face off on October 25th.

2. Oklahoma Sooners

The Sooners have proven to be an incredibly talented team this season with quarterback John Mateer at the helm. They currently hold ESPN’s sixth-best strength of record, mainly due to their key wins over Auburn and Michigan.

Though Mateer gets the headlines, what has been the real needle-mover for the Sooners this season is their defense, especially against the run. This was evident in their standout performance against Auburn, where they limited a Tigers' run defense that entered the game averaging 242 rushing yards per game to just 67. 

That elite run defense makes for an especially poor matchup for LSU, whose run game is averaging just 87 rushing yards per game against Power Four opponents this season.

Oklahoma’s pass defense is undoubtedly a concern as well, giving up just one passing touchdown and recording 16 sacks so far this season.

Oklahoma’s offense isn’t as intimidating as its defense, but that group is still incredibly talented, ranking 34th in the nation for ESPN’s offensive efficiency metric. Star quarterback John Mateer is expected to be out for several weeks with a hand injury, but is expected to return before his matchup against LSU. If he’s healthy, LSU’s season-ending game against the Sooners will pose a very challenging test, likely carrying significant playoff implications for both teams.

LSU and Oklahoma will face off on November 29th.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama looked like a shell of the program Crimson Tide fans grew to love over the years in their Week 1 loss to Florida State, with the defense allowing 31 points and the offense managing just 17.

That narrative has since flipped on its head, especially after an inspired win over the Georgia Bulldogs last weekend. Alabama’s offense looked like the talented unit fans expected to see in the season opener, and the defense held Georgia to just 21 points.

If Alabama’s offense continues to improve and its defense remains as well-coordinated as it has been recently, it’s hard to argue that LSU should be more worried about any other team on its schedule.

LSU and Alabama will face off on November 8th.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Ranking LSU Football’s toughest remaining opponents in 2025