In the first College Football Playoff ranking of the 2015 season, LSU (7-0, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) was picked as the second-ranked team in the nation, according to the CFP selection committee.
The 12-man committee meets every Monday and Tuesday to produce the weekly rankings.
The Nov. 3rd ranking is the first-of-six meetings the committee makes before four semifinal teams are announced on Dec. 6.
The Tigers are the highest-ranked SEC team — trailed by No. 4 Alabama, who the Tigers will face at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The Tigers and Crimson Tide are the two, highest ranked SEC teams, which make the matchup this weekend more exciting, junior defensive end Louis Neal said.
“I can’t wait,” Neal said. “There’s a lot of history in this. It’s an honor to play in it. I’m blessed to be able to play in it.”
Sophomore safety Jamal Adams simplified the magnitude of the matchup in a five words.
“It’s going to be war,” Adams said.
The Tigers and Crimson Tide are two of the top-4 teams, who now make the cut for the College Football Playoff. The two teams are intersected by No. 1 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State.
No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 6 Baylor are the others near the top of the selection committee’s initial rankings.
The Tigers led a six-pack of SEC teams inside the top 25. They are trailed by No. 4 Alabama, No. 10 Florida, No. 18 Ole Miss, No. 19 Texas A&M and No. 20 Mississippi State.
LSU defeated Mississippi State, 21-19, on Sept. 12 and Florida, 35-28, on Oct. 17, and is set to face Alabama on Saturday, Ole Miss on Nov. 21 and Texas A&M on Nov. 28.