LSU debuts inside the top 15 in the AP Poll for the seventh straight season.
The Tigers are the third highest ranked Southeastern Conference school behind Alabama and Auburn. Alabama is ranked No. 1 with 52 first-place votes and Auburn is ranked No. 12.
Since 2011, LSU’s average AP ranking is nine, and they have also opened the season ranked in the top five three times (4, 2011; 3, 2012; 5, 2016).
However, where LSU has opened the season is not indicative of where the team finish. The Tigers have not finished higher than its original rank since being ranked No. 2 following a National Championship game loss to Alabama.
In 2014 LSU opened the season ranked 13, and ending the season unranked after a loss to Notre Dame in the Music City Bowl.