🏈 College Football
LSU Tigers 2025 Season Preview
LSU’s got the firepower. But unless this defense starts creating chaos, it’s another year of “almost.” Payton’s the game-wrecker, Nussmeier’s the shot-caller, and Clemson in Week 1 might as well be the damn Playoff.
Fade Us at Your Own Risk.
🔑 Key to the Season:
Start Making Game-Changing Plays on D
This is LSU — you don’t walk onto the field in Death Valley without swagger. But for all the 5-stars in the secondary, last year’s defense played soft when it mattered.
They gave up bombs early (USC torched ‘em), bled yardage late (Baylor did what they wanted), and only snagged six total picks all year. That’s not gonna cut it.
Here’s the tell:
- 6-0 when they had an interception.
- 3-4 when they didn’t.
You want to win in the SEC? You better start flipping momentum.
🧱 Key Player:
Tyree Adams, OT (Sophomore)
Adams wasn’t some can’t-miss five-star. He was just a big, athletic body who got some burn at guard last season. But now? He’s got a new address: left tackle.
No pressure, kid. Just replace Will Campbell and keep Nussmeier’s ribs intact.
🔁 Top Transfer In:
Patrick Payton, EDGE (Senior)
Florida State turned him into a freak.
Now LSU wants the whole damn show.
At 6’5” with length and burst, Payton racked up 16 sacks and 32 TFLs the last 3 seasons. He’s primed to be LSU’s next All-SEC problem off the edge.
📤 Biggest Transfer Loss:
CJ Daniels, WR (Senior)
He was fine. 42 catches, 480 yards — solid depth.
But the room is stacked, and Daniels bailed for Miami where he might actually pop. LSU won’t lose sleep.
📆 Key Game:
at Clemson – August 30
Let’s be blunt:
LSU hasn’t won a season opener since 2019.
That’s five straight Week 1 L’s, including getting cooked by Florida State and UCLA.
This Clemson game? It’s a statement. Lose it, and you’re playing catch-up all season. Win it, and the Playoff train’s leaving the station.
🔟 Top 10 Players to Know:
- Garrett Nussmeier, QB – The job is his now. No excuses.
- Whit Weeks, LB – Tone-setter in the middle.
- Patrick Payton, EDGE – Sack king in the making.
- Harold Perkins Jr., LB – Still a freak.
- Aaron Anderson, WR – Needs to be the guy outside.
- Mansoor Delane, CB – Veteran transfer, instant starter.
- Ashton Stamps, CB – Young corner, big upside.
- Jack Pyburn, EDGE – Complement to Payton off the edge.
- Nic Anderson, WR – Reliable target underneath.
- Barion Brown, WR/KR – Big play waiting to happen.
📊 Fun Stats from 2024:
- 2nd Quarter Points: 147
- 3rd Quarter Points: 69 (nice?)
- Sacks: LSU 34, Opponents 15
- Fumbles Forced: 21
- Fumbles Lost: 5
🧠 Unc’s Season Forecast
This roster’s nasty. The problem?
The schedule is even nastier.
You’ve got Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and A&M — all on the road or neutral. Survive that gauntlet, and you’re in the College Football Playoff. Slip twice, and you’re just another 10-2 team watching from the couch.
And don’t sleep on the home slate either. Florida, Arkansas, and South Carolina could all ruin a good thing if LSU plays down.
🎯 The Call:
Win Total: 8.5
Projected Record: 9-3
They’ll drop one they shouldn’t (Florida?), pull one out of their ass (Oklahoma?), and end up just shy of a playoff spot.