LSU is moving back up in the rankings. The Tigers rose from No. 22 to No. 18 in the AP Top 25 Poll released Sunday, after a 31-0 homecoming shutout of No. 16 Mississippi State in Baton Rouge. The Bulldogs fell out of the Top 25 with the loss.
The win came at a good time for Lane Kiffin’s team and was much needed. LSU had dropped from No. 10 to No. 22 last week after losing to Kentucky in overtime by one point. Saturday’s dominant performance helped put that loss in the past. Mississippi State was missing its star quarterback and running back, which voters may have weighed in, but a shutout at home against a ranked SEC opponent is hard to argue with.
The polls had movement all over the board after a historic Saturday. The No. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 teams all lost, and Miami now sits atop the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2002. BYU, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Georgia fill out the top five. LSU moved up, but didn’t make a massive jump. Nine SEC teams are ranked this week, including Georgia (5), Ole Miss (7), Tennessee (11), Kentucky (12), Alabama (13), Texas (19), Florida (20) and Missouri (22).
It has been a bumpy year in the polls for LSU. The Tigers started No. 11 in the preseason poll in Kiffin’s first season as head coach, and cracked the top 10 in the first regular season poll. At 5-2, they are back in the conversation, but must make some statement wins down the road.
The next test is a tough one. LSU travels to Auburn on Saturday for another SEC game on the road. A road win would help the Tigers keep climbing as the playoff race tightens. LSU is currently on an eight-game SEC road losing streak and will look to snap that streak.
— Eric Palmer, TigerSources