The 2026 LSU football schedule does not ease anybody in.
Clemson comes to Death Valley in Week 1. Texas A&M follows later in September. Alabama and Texas both visit in November. The slate front-loads Tiger Stadium with ranked-caliber programs and then sends LSU Tigers football on the road for a stretch that could make or break the season. A demanding September, a grinding October, and a loaded November leave little room for error.
Here is the complete 2026 LSU football schedule with dates, locations, times and television information.
2026 LSU Football Schedule
| Date | Logo | Opponent | Time | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Clemson TigersTiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 7:30pm ET ETABC | ||
| Saturday | Louisiana Tech BulldogsTiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 7:30pm ET ETSECN+ | ||
| Saturday | at Ole Miss RebelsVaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS | 7:30pm ET ETABC | ||
| Saturday | Texas A&M AggiesTiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 3:30-8:00pm ET ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | McNeese CowboysTiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 7:45pm ET ETSECN | ||
| Saturday | at Kentucky WildcatsKroger Field, Lexington, KY | 6:00-8:00pm ET ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | Mississippi State BulldogsTiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 12:00-1:00pm ET ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at Auburn TigersJordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL | 12:00pm ET ETABC or ESPN | ||
| Saturday | OFF | |||
| Saturday | Alabama Crimson TideTiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 3:30-8:00pm ET ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | Texas LonghornsTiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA | 3:30-8:00pm ET ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at Tennessee VolunteersNeyland Stadium, Knoxville, TN | 3:30-8:00pm ET ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | at Arkansas RazorbacksD.W.R. Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR | 12:00-1:00pm ET ETTV TBA | ||
| Saturday | vs SEC ChampionshipMercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 4:00pm ET ETABC |
A September Nobody Circled by Accident
Clemson to open at home is already a heavyweight matchup for a Week 1 slate. Louisiana Tech gives the Tigers a breather in Week 2 — the only true soft spot before things get heavy. Then it is Ole Miss on the road against a projected top-10 team, followed immediately by Texas A&M back in Baton Rouge. Two Power conference tests inside a three-week window, and that is before October even starts. For LSU Tigers football, surviving September with momentum would set a strong foundation.
October Is Where the Schedule Turns Honest
McNeese is the low point on paper, a get-well game squeezed between Texas A&M and a trip to Kentucky. But this stretch is really about what comes after. Mississippi State at home, then a road trip to Auburn against a Jordan-Hare crowd that is never quiet, closes out the month before the bye finally arrives on Oct. 31. LSU needed that week off. Four games in five weeks against SEC competition will test depth and resilience across the roster.
November Brings Alabama, Texas, and No Room to Breathe
Alabama and Texas — both ranked, both in Death Valley, back to back. That is about as loaded a two-week home stretch as the 2026 LSU football schedule offers anyone. And there is no cushion after it. Tennessee waits in Knoxville the following week, followed by a trip to Fayetteville to close the regular season against Arkansas. Beat both of those top home names and stumble on the road after? It would not be the first time a team peaked in November and paid for it in the finale.
The 2026 LSU football schedule challenges LSU Tigers football from the opening night against Clemson through the final regular-season road trip. Seven home games at Tiger Stadium provide a powerful base, while the road tests in Oxford, Lexington, Auburn, Knoxville and Fayetteville will determine the ceiling. How the Tigers handle the early ranked tests and the November home doubleheader against Alabama and Texas will define the entire season.
FAQ
When does LSU football play its first game in 2026?
LSU opens the 2026 LSU football schedule at home against Clemson on Saturday, September 5, at Tiger Stadium.
When is LSU vs Clemson 2026?
LSU vs Clemson 2026 kicks off Saturday, September 5, at 7:30pm ET at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, airing on ABC.
How many home games does LSU play in 2026?
LSU has seven LSU football home games in 2026 at Tiger Stadium: Clemson, Louisiana Tech, Texas A&M, McNeese, Mississippi State, Alabama, and Texas.
What is LSU’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
The back-to-back home games against Alabama (Nov. 7) and Texas (Nov. 14), followed immediately by a road trip to Tennessee, is the toughest stretch on the LSU SEC schedule 2026 — three ranked-caliber opponents in a three-week span.
