Lane Kiffin brings his first LSU team to Knoxville for a Friday night showdown that could swing both programs' playoff hopes down the stretch.
Bush’s Picks
LSUTENN
LSUTENN
OverUnder
Best BetTennessee
Tennessee's Senior Day crowd at Neyland and Josh Heupel's track record with first-year starters make this a smart look at the home side against a talented but still-gelling LSU group. Kiffin has stacked the Tigers with talent — 43 transfers is no small number — but that kind of roster overhaul under a brand-new staff carries real variance by late November. Back the Vols to spring the outright upset at home.
LSU
+Lane Kiffin hire brings proven offensive mind, CFP buzz
+Sam Leavitt, top transfer QB, reportedly full strength
+Preseason projected 10-2, No. 7 in SEC
−59 newcomers including 43 transfers, chemistry unproven
−Leavitt missed all spring practice after foot surgery
−CBS Sports projects a loss specifically at Tennessee
Tennessee
+8 returning offensive starters, most in SEC
+New DC Jim Knowles overhauling bottom-tier defense
+Heupel's first-year starters have historically thrived
−Unsettled QB battle between two inexperienced freshmen
−Defense ranked near SEC bottom last season
−Coming off an 8-5 regression, ranked outside SEC's top tier
Sam Leavitt is the headline attraction for LSU's turnaround under Kiffin — the former Arizona State gunslinger signed on as the No. 1 overall transfer this cycle and gives the Tigers a proven arm after last November's Lisfranc surgery. He missed all of spring practice recovering, but Kiffin has since called him full strength heading into the year. Across the field, Tennessee will roll out whichever of Faizon Brandon or George MacIntyre wins the job in fall camp — Heupel's fifth different starting quarterback in five seasons, but a system that's historically made rookies look like veterans.
The bigger swing factor for Tennessee might be the other side of the ball, where new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles arrived to fix a unit that ranked near the bottom of the SEC a year ago. LSU, meanwhile, is trying to fold 43 transfers into a functioning roster in Kiffin's first year, and how that chemistry holds up by the third week of November is anyone's guess. On paper, both programs are still works in progress by the time this one kicks off.
Show fees
11:00 PM CT
Spread
ML
Total
LSU LSU
TENN Tennessee
By the time these two meet, both teams will have a much clearer picture of who they actually are. LSU arrives with preseason buzz as a CFP contender under Kiffin; Tennessee is coming off an 8-5 stumble and was tabbed outside the SEC's top tier in early rankings — but Neyland Stadium on Senior Day has a way of humbling ranked visitors.
LSU Tigers
Nov 13?vs Texas—
Nov 6?vs Alabama—
Oct 16?vs Mississippi State—
Oct 9?@ Kentucky—
Oct 3?vs McNeese—
Sep 25?vs Texas A&M—
Sep 19?@ Ole Miss—
Sep 12?vs Louisiana Tech—
Sep 5?vs Clemson—
Tennessee Volunteers
Nov 13?@ Texas A&M—
Nov 6?vs Kentucky—
Oct 16?vs Alabama—
Oct 9?@ Arkansas—
Oct 2?vs Auburn—
Sep 26?vs Texas—
Sep 19?vs Kennesaw State—
Sep 12?@ Georgia Tech—
Sep 5?vs Furman—
Recent form.
National prognosticators are already circling this one. CBS Sports' preseason projection has LSU finishing 10-2 overall — but pegs one of those two losses right here in Knoxville. That's the kind of forecast that should keep both fan bases honest: the Tigers have the flashier roster and coaching hire, but the Vols get them at home, deep into a season where youth at quarterback matters less than it did back in September.
LSU Tigers
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Tennessee Volunteers
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Whatever shape both rosters take by then, this is exactly the type of November SEC game that decides playoff seeding and coaching legacies in year one. Kiffin's first trip to Neyland as LSU's coach against a Heupel program looking to prove last year's step back was a blip — that's plenty to make this appointment viewing on a Friday night in Knoxville.
