Texas climbs, LSU slides into Baton Rouge

LSU's margin is double Texas'

Against Power 4 opponents, LSU is +95 in point margin, 10th nationally and third in the SEC. Texas is +47 in the same games, 19th nationally and fifth in the SEC.

LSU scores 32.3 points a game, 15th nationally, and allows 18.7, 12th. Texas scores 27.3 and allows 20.6, ranking 26th and 17th.

LSU is also cleaner, penalized 45 yards a game, 22nd nationally and third in the SEC. Texas gives up 63 penalty yards a game, 62nd nationally.

Where it's decided

When LSU has the ball, the best total offense in the SEC against Power 4 opponents meets one of the best defenses in the country. LSU gains 468 yards a game, fourth nationally, and Texas allows 290, sixth nationally and second in the SEC. Success rate agrees: LSU succeeds on 49.9% of snaps, fifth nationally, and Texas allows success on 33.4%, second nationally and first in the SEC.

Third down puts strength against strength. LSU converts 50.0%, sixth nationally, and Texas allows 30.7%, fifth nationally. LSU throws for 311 yards a game, fourth nationally and first in the SEC, against a Texas pass defense allowing 194, 10th nationally.

Jackson Harris leads LSU in receiving yards with 800, second in the SEC, on 47 catches with 7 touchdowns. Harris' 17.0 yards a catch lead the SEC. He brought 963 receiving yards from 2025 to an LSU team that returned only 19% of its receiving yards from last season. Winston Watkins Jr. is second on LSU with 498 receiving yards, and Dilin Jones leads the Tigers in rushing yards with 715 and 7 touchdowns.

LSU runs for 157 yards a game, 24th nationally. The Texas run defense allows 96, 10th nationally, and only 32.7% of runs against it succeed, second nationally.

When Texas has the ball, the yardage is modest. Texas gains 336 yards a game against Power 4 opponents, 52nd nationally and 12th in the SEC, and LSU allows 288, fourth nationally and first in the SEC. Texas runs for 113 yards a game, 13th in the SEC, into an LSU run defense allowing 95, ninth nationally.

Raleek Brown leads Texas in rushing yards with 537 and 6 touchdowns. Emmett Mosley V is second on Texas in receiving yards with 504 on 30 catches.

Texas finishes the drives it sustains, scoring on every red zone trip, first nationally. The Longhorns convert only 34.8% on third down, 16th in the SEC, and LSU's red zone defense allows scores on 81.8%, 30th nationally.

Princewill Umanmielen leads LSU in sacks with 9, second in the SEC, and ranks second in the SEC with 13 tackles for loss. TJ Dottery leads LSU with 69 tackles.

Simmons and the Texas pass rush

Colin Simmons leads Texas in sacks with 10, tied for second in FBS, and leads the SEC with 15.5 tackles for loss. Rasheem Biles is tied for the Texas lead in tackles with 67 and adds 4 sacks and 3 interceptions. Against Power 4 opponents, Texas allows success on 33.9% of passes, second nationally.

LSU rebuilt its offense around Leavitt

LSU returned none of its 2025 passing yards, with Garrett Nussmeier's 1,927 gone to the NFL. Sam Leavitt arrived from Arizona State as a 5-star transfer and leads the SEC with 2,551 passing yards, with 17 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Leavitt's 71% completion rate leads the SEC, his 25 total touchdowns tie for the SEC lead, and his 340 rushing yards are second on LSU.

LSU scores 37.1 points a game in all games, up from 22.8 in a 7-6 season in 2025. Against Power 4 opponents, LSU's offensive success rate is up from 37.5% last season.

Manning's yardage keeps rising

Arch Manning has raised his passing yards in 3 straight games, from 173 to 212, 220 and 297 last week at Missouri. Manning leads Texas with 2,027 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

Ryan Wingo leads Texas in receiving yards with 523 and in catches with 42. Cam Coleman, a 5-star transfer from Auburn, is tied for second in the SEC with 7 touchdown catches. Against Power 4 opponents, LSU's pass defense allows 193 yards a game, ninth nationally.

Old Alabama colleagues, Louisiana ties

Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian were both offensive coordinators on Alabama's 2016 staff. Kiffin has never faced Texas in 15 seasons as an FBS head coach.

Texas' Derek Williams Jr. grew up in New Iberia, about 45 miles from Tiger Stadium, and played at Westgate. Texas' Zion Williams was on LSU's roster in 2025 and faces the Tigers for the first time since leaving.

Biles transferred to Texas from Pittsburgh, and Hollywood Smothers came from NC State. Umanmielen is a 5-star transfer to LSU from Ole Miss.

Texas had 6 players drafted, one each at linebacker, cornerback, edge, safety, guard and tight end, and Anthony Hill Jr. went highest, 60th overall to Tennessee. LSU had 7 drafted, including 2 wide receivers, and cornerback Mansoor Delane went sixth overall to Kansas City.

Simmons limited, Wesley still out

Update, Sat, Nov 14, 5:00 PM CT: Since Friday's report, LSU upgraded Weston Davis (probable to available). Since Friday's report, Texas upgraded Hero Kanu (probable to available) and Cole Hutson (questionable to available). On the latest report, LSU lists Phillip Wright III, Dashawn Spears, Charles Ross II and 1 other as out or doubtful, and Whit Weeks as a game-time decision. Texas lists Hollywood Smothers, Richard Wesley, Nick Townsend and 1 other as out or doubtful.

Sarkisian said Nov. 7, according to Yahoo Sports, that Simmons was back after two games out with a high ankle sprain, and he referred to a 'very limited' Simmons in the Missouri win. Sarkisian said Nov. 5, according to 247Sports, that edge Richard Wesley had an ankle injury and that he hopes to get Wesley back in a couple of weeks. Wesley was listed Out on the SEC availability report for Texas' last 3 games.

Smothers, second on Texas in rushing yards with 283, and tight end Nick Townsend were listed Out on the SEC availability report for the Missouri game.

LSU has owned Baton Rouge in this series

Texas leads the series 8-7-1 since 1902. LSU is 3-1-1 at home against Texas, and the Longhorns last won in Baton Rouge in 1952.

LSU won the last meeting 45-38 at Texas in 2019, when Joe Burrow threw for 471 yards. That LSU team went 15-0, Burrow won the Heisman, Ja'Marr Chase won the Biletnikoff and Grant Delpit won the Thorpe. Texas went 8-5 that season.

Three things to watch

Texas against ranked teams: the Longhorns have won 6 straight against ranked opponents, dating to 2025, and 3 straight ranked night games.

LSU's path: against Power 4 opponents, the Tigers hold the ball 32:13 a game, first in the SEC, and have outscored them 71-10 in the third quarter.

Turnovers: against Power 4 opponents, Texas is -7 in turnover margin, 85th nationally, and LSU is -3, 62nd.