LSU football is in a weird spot right now. If you're looking for a single number to pin on them today, January 17, 2026, it kinda depends on what you mean by "rank." The 2025 season just wrapped up with Indiana and Miami fighting for a national title, and LSU? Well, they finished the year unranked in the major polls like the AP and Coaches after a bumpy 7-6 campaign.
But here’s the thing: nobody in Baton Rouge is looking at last year's win-loss column.
If you ask a scout what rank is LSU football in terms of momentum, the answer is No. 1. Seriously. Since Lane Kiffin took the job about 50 days ago, the Tigers have absolutely nuked the transfer portal rankings. They currently hold the top-ranked transfer class in the country for 2026 according to 247Sports and On3. It is a total roster overhaul. Kiffin didn't just add a few guys; he brought in nearly 40 newcomers in a matter of weeks.
The Numbers That Actually Matter Right Now
While the final AP Poll of the 2025 season has LSU nowhere near the Top 25, the "way-too-early" rankings for the upcoming 2026 season are starting to trickle out. Most analysts have the Tigers as a fringe Top 15 team. That's a massive jump from how they ended the year. Why? Because the talent level just skyrocketed.
Check out the current specialized rankings for the program:
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- Transfer Portal Rank: No. 1 (Consensus)
- 2026 High School Recruiting Class: Top 10 (on most major services)
- SEC Standing (2025 Final): 10th out of 16 teams
It was a rough 2025. They went 3-5 in the SEC. They lost to Georgia and Ole Miss late in the year. Brian Kelly moved on, and the program felt like it was stuck in neutral. Then the "Lane Train" arrived.
Why the Portal Rank is Changing Everything
Honestly, the Sam Leavitt news was the turning point. When LSU landed the former Arizona State quarterback—who ESPN recently ranked as a top-five transfer—the vibe shifted. But Kiffin didn't stop there. He just landed Husan Longstreet from USC, a former five-star guy, and yesterday they picked up Aliou Bah, a massive offensive lineman from Maryland.
You’ve got to realize how fast this is moving.
Just this morning, reports confirmed they landed TJ Dottery, a starting linebacker from Ole Miss. That makes 37 transfers. That isn't a recruiting class; it's a new army. This is why when people ask "what rank is LSU football," you have to specify if you're talking about the team that played in December or the team Kiffin is building for September.
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The high school side is looking bright too. LSU is currently sitting with a top-tier 2026 class featuring five-star receiver Tristen Keys and defensive lineman Richard Anderson. They are winning the "recruiting wars" in a way that reminds fans of the 2019 era.
The SEC Gauntlet
Being ranked No. 1 in the portal is great, but the SEC is a meat grinder. In the final 2025 standings, LSU was looking up at teams like Indiana (somehow!), Georgia, Alabama, and even Vanderbilt. Yes, Vanderbilt finished with a better record than LSU last year. That’s the reality of the current landscape.
The Tigers' defense was the primary culprit last season. They allowed over 250 points and struggled to get off the field on third downs. Kiffin is clearly trying to fix that by raiding the portal for veteran defensive backs and SEC-ready linemen.
Reality Check: Can They Really Be Top 10?
Most experts are skeptical of "overnight" successes. While LSU is currently the No. 1 portal team, that doesn't always translate to chemistry on the field. You've got 40 new guys trying to learn a playbook in six months.
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However, the raw data suggests a bounce-back is inevitable. LSU’s "Blue Chip Ratio"—the percentage of four and five-star players on the roster—remains among the best in the country. Even when they were losing games last year, they had the athletes. They just lacked the direction.
If you’re betting on where they’ll be in the preseason AP Poll this August, expect them to land somewhere around No. 12 or No. 14. They’ll be behind the usual suspects like Georgia, Ohio State, and Oregon, but they’ll likely be the "dark horse" pick for the 12-team playoff.
What to Watch Next
To get a better handle on where this team is heading, keep an eye on the spring game. That’s when we’ll see if Sam Leavitt or Husan Longstreet takes the lead at QB.
- Monitor the final portal window: Kiffin is still looking for one more elite edge rusher.
- Check the 2026 Signing Day updates: The high school class is currently 11th nationally but could jump into the top five if they flip a couple of in-state targets.
- Watch the coaching staff hires: Kiffin has rebuilt the defensive room, and their "rank" in defensive efficiency will be the only thing that determines if they actually make the playoffs.
The bottom line? LSU football is currently unranked by the history books of 2025 but is the undisputed No. 1 in the "rebuilding" rankings for 2026. It's a high-risk, high-reward strategy that has the entire South talking.