The college football season is officially just around the corner, which means it’s time to start looking at the biggest challenges coach Brian Kelly and the Tigers are set to face in 2024. Here’s a full ranking of the toughest matchups on this year’s LSU football schedule.
Toughest games on the 2024 LSU football schedule
12. Nicholls
By far the easiest game on the LSU football schedule this season should come against Nicholls on Saturday, September 7. With that said, as far as FCS teams go, the Colonels have the potential to be surprisingly good in 2024, largely thanks to an impressive amount of returning starters.
Among the top names to know include that of Collin Guggenheim – a former quarterback turned running back – who immediately gives his team the opportunity for trick plays to keep defenses off-balance.
As if that weren’t enough, with by far their two best defensive backs (senior safety Tyler Morton and senior cornerback Kendarius Smith), set to continue their dominance, the reigning 2023 Southland Conference Champions have every reason to feel confident ahead of the new season.
Even so, there will only be so much the Colonels will be able to do against the powerhouse that is LSU football. The Tigers should cruise to a win in what will be a tune up game prior to the start of SEC play one week later.
11. South Alabama
Next up on our toughest games to play comes via the Sun Belt, as South Alabama prepares to make their way to Tiger Stadium for a Saturday, September 28 matchup vs. the purple and gold of LSU.
Exiting the 2023 season, the Jaguars were looking primed to compete for a Division title, but after losing head coach Kane Wommack and several starters to the transfer portal, we live in a very different world with just a few months remaining until the season.
Even so, this is a team that displays plenty of potential heading into the future under new head coach Major Applewhite thanks in large part to redshirt freshman quarterback Gio Lopez and several other young pieces.
While the Jaguar program has the potential to be good in the future, it looks relatively unlikely that they’ll give coach Brian Kelly and his squad any type of trouble in the 2024 schedule. Similarly to Nicholls, this should be treated as a tune up game as LSU prepares for their first major SEC challenge of the season vs. Ole Miss just two weeks later.
10. Vanderbilt
Yet another program going through some major changes heading into the 2024 college football season schedule is none other than Vanderbilt, who lost just about every piece on their offense over the offseason.
In turn, the Commodores are more than likely going to be a fairly defensive minded team, which unfortunately doesn’t bode well for them against a Tiger offense that should be able to put points up on just about everyone they face.
Transfer quarterback Diego Pavia will be the x-factor for Vandy in 2024, as he looks to bring some of his 2023 New Mexico State magic over to Nashville. However, even if the new addition quarterback does hit, don’t expect too much of a challenge from head coach Clark Lea and his team in their trip to Tiger Stadium, as physicality should largely rule the day for the purple and gold.
9. UCLA
It truly wouldn’t be an LSU football schedule without at least one or two intriguing non-conference games to keep a close eye on.
Newly dubbed Big Ten program UCLA will make their way to Baton Rouge, LA, for a September 21 matchup that should if nothing else provide some excellent uniform combinations.
Faced with implementing brand new head coach DeShaun Foster, the Bruins will look to lean on returning quarterback Ethan Garbers, who showed flashes in six starts last season.
Notably, recruiting hasn’t exactly been a specialty of the California program in recent memory, so depth and overall size should be the name of the game for coach Brian Kelly’s squad in this one. If they can impose their physicality early and often, the Tigers have every reason to cruise to a victory against the Big Ten opponent.
8. South Carolina
Welcome to the season of freshman quarterback LaNorris Sellers. It was a tough year for South Carolina in 2023, and it’s not looking likely that much will change in that department after losing just about everyone from last year’s offense.
With that said, the offensive line is largely unchanged, and they return some big-time players on defense such as All-SEC linebacker Debo Williams, who has the ability to change a game in the blink of an eye.
Overall, the lack of a wide receiver one could be the downfall of the Gamecocks vs. LSU, in turn opening up the door for a young Tiger secondary to start building confidence early on in the year.
Expect new defensive coordinator Blake Baker to get after the young quarterback early in this one with the team looking to get their first SEC victory of the season on September 14.
7. Arkansas
It could be a weird year for the Razorbacks. With the return of Bobby Petrino at offensive coordinator, they have the potential to put up plenty of points on offense. However, the most important word there is “potential.”
With only four returning starters on offense and six on defense, there’s plenty of unknown with this team, which doesn’t lend confidence to fifth-year head coach Sam Pittman, who needs to show at least some improvement if he has any hopes of staying in Fayetteville.
The offense is likely set to be led by 6-foot-6 transfer quarterback Taylen Green out of Boise State, while a solid overall group along the defensive interior and defensive backfield will hold things down on the other side of the ball.
The biggest thing to keep an eye on when looking ahead to this matchup is where it happens to fall on the LSU football schedule. Considering this is at Arkansas and comes just one week following a battle vs. Ole Miss, you can’t quite count the Razorbacks out just yet. Even so, depth will be the name of the game, so as long as coach Brian Kelly‘s squad can stay healthy, the Tigers should be able to head home with a W in this one.
6. Florida
Florida is very much heading in the right direction as a program, but with by far the toughest schedule in all of college football, it might be too little too late for head coach Billy Napier.
The Gators return several key pieces on offense including starting quarterback Graham Mertz and running back Montrell Johnson Jr, but could see some struggles on the offensive line after losing two starters to the transfer portal over the offseason.
Their offense should be good enough to at least give LSU a scare, but their defense hasn’t shown much improvement since last season and could once again fall victim to an elite performance from a Tiger quarterback, this time being Garrett Nussmeier.
Expect coach Brian Kelly and his offense to let loose in this one as they look to neutralize a feisty Florida fanbase as early in the game as possible. However, if the Gators put up a fight early and keep the crowd in it, don’t be surprised if this ends up as a last possession deciding matchup.
5. USC
The final non-conference game on the 2024 LSU football schedule comes against USC in week one, as the two historic programs will face off on September 1 in Las Vegas, NV for the Vegas Kickoff Classic.
The Tigers vs. the Trojans will take place on Sunday of week one, and this could be a tough watch for fans of the defensive side of the ball. Both programs have largely become known (in recent memory) for their elite work on offense, but not so much on defense.
Looking ahead to 2024, though, there appear to be more questions than answers for the USC offense, which could bode incredibly well for the Tigers, who return several known commodities at just about every position.
The biggest game changer in this one is wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who should be one of the top returners in college football next season. However, if coach Brian Kelly manages to coach around him, that very well could end up being the thing allowing LSU to come out on top.
May the best offense win. As much as defense wins championships, this could be a fairly high-scoring event, meaning that quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU offense will be key for the purple and gold if they want to get the season off to a good start.
4. Oklahoma
This Oklahoma team will go as five-star sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold goes. The arm talent is undoubtedly there, but the biggest question is a matter of how much he can mature by the last week of the season against LSU in Baton Rouge.
However, with an entirely new offensive line, this could be a dangerous situation for a young quarterback, especially if LSU’s high potential defensive front can finally come through and apply some pressure.
Oklahoma has one of the harder schedules in the entire SEC, so overall depth is going to be something to keep a close eye on, especially considering the Tigers are getting the Sooners at the very end of the season.
Oklahoma has the potential to be one of the biggest defensive challenges the purple and gold face on their entire schedule in 2024. Luckily, with how late in the season the matchup will arrive, the group has time to grow together – it’s just a matter of how much.
3. Ole Miss
Time to test out the experiment. Ole Miss isn’t entirely built through the transfer portal, but it’s a pretty fair assumption that they identified this as the year to go all in with it. Bringing in the top transfer class this offseason, the Rebels are primed to have one of the best passing games in the entire country to go along with a revamped defensive line filled with impact players
In all honesty, this matchup, along with the the following top-two could be major slip up moments for this year’s LSU team. If anything, the biggest advantage going for the Tigers is the fact that they will not only have homefield advantage, but coming off a BYE, they should be plenty rested and ready to go after last season’s heartbreaker.
Ultimately, culture and team chemistry could be the deciding factor in this one. There’s no doubt that Ole Miss has some of the most impressive talent in the country on their roster. Will they be able to gel in time to make a serious push in the SEC? That’s yet to be seen, but if they’re able to, this could end up being one of the most challenging games of the year.
2. Alabama
And so a new era of the Alabama vs. LSU football rivalry has officially begun.
While legendary head coach Nick Saban is off to retirement, the Crimson Tide aren’t exactly expected to take a significant step back in 2024. If anything, it’s just assumed that rather than being dominant from a defensive standpoint, it will be their offense that poses the biggest threat under new head coach Kalen DeBoer.
This is yet another matchup that could have easily taken the No. 1 spot on this list, but Alabama is going through plenty of change and it’s hard to know exactly what we’ll get from this year’s team. Jalen Milroe is back as the likely starter at quarterback, but with an almost entirely revamped receiving core, there’s no telling how good they can be.
While offense isn’t the main concern, getting the lack of experience to gel on defense will be game changing for the Tide. They return just three starters on that side of the ball, and could allow far more points than fans are used to seeing from Alabama football.
Ultimately, this sets up incredibly well for LSU, especially when you factor in their BYE the week prior. The Tigers should be able to compete with everyone on their schedule from an offensive standpoint, so as long as their defense can at least hold up an ounce, coach Brian Kelly’s squad at the very least has an solid shot at snagging the home victory.
1. Texas A&M
Texas A&M landing at No. 1 on this list has everything to do with overall projection, along with where they happen to fall on the 2024 LSU football schedule. Coming off what could be a sneaky game at Arkansas, the Tigers will need to stay focused heading into College Station, TX, without looking ahead to an eventual battle against the Crimson Tide just two weeks later.
With it being the first season under new head coach Mike Elko, this Aggie team looks primed to potentially overachieve in 2024, and it will likely be thanks to star quarterback Conner Weigman who will have a stout defense backing him the whole way through.
The biggest weakness for the Aggies is offensive line, which – depending on LSU’s ability to pressure the quarterback this season – could end up being the difference-maker in who eventually comes out on top.
Texas A&M has a veteran filled roster, and found plenty of transfers to fill-in holes as necessary. In short, this isn’t an Aggie team of recent memory, and coach Brian Kelly will need to have his team ready for a battle in College Station, TX, if they want any chance of leaving unscathed.
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