LSU Football One of Five Programs That “Can Crash College Football Playoff Party”

Brian Kelly and Co. atop the programs that can make noise in 2025, continue receiving national buzz.

The college football offseason is officially here with the 2024-25 season wrapping up on Monday following the Ohio State Buckeyes’ National Championship victory.

Now, all focus shifts towards the 2025 season with Brian Kelly’s LSU Tigers looking to take a gigantic step forward in what will be a “College Football Playoff or bust” year for the program.

Kelly and Co. have retooled the roster in Baton Rouge after signing the No. 1 Transfer Portal Class in America paired with multiple immediate impact true freshmen in the 2025 Signing Class.

The Tigers will pair an elite-level newcomer haul with the return of signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier, wide receiver Aaron Anderson, linebacker Harold Perkins and more in what will have the 2025 roster sitting in an efficient spot.

Following the conclusion of the College Football Playoff on Monday, the “Way-Too-Early” predictions for the upcoming season were revealed by multiple outlets.

That included USA Today predicting five programs that can “crash the College Football Playoff party” in 2025.

One of the five programs to make the list? The LSU Tigers.

USA Today: “Brian Kelly became a pundit’s favorite punching bag throughout this postseason, but upon closer inspection, two truths could operate simultaneously: Notre Dame thrives under Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s successor, but LSU is far from roadkill under Kelly.

“Garrett Nussmeier returns as the SEC’s most proven quarterback, and he’ll enjoy familiar weapons in running back Caden Durham and wide receiver Aaron Anderson. LSU crushed it in the transfer portal, adding key gains at wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line and cornerback.

“The defense must improve in its second season under coordinator Blake Baker, but considering the additions, like Florida State defensive end Patrick Payton, that’s possible. We’ll quickly learn whether LSU is legit or fraudulent, after its September games at Clemson, versus Florida and at Mississippi.”

It’s clear LSU will know what the 2025 season could provide after a challenging first five weeks of the season. The beginning of the year will include showdowns at Clemson and Ole Miss along with a Death Valley showdown against Billy Napier’s Florida Gators.

The Official 2025 LSU Schedule:
Week 1: at Clemson
Week 2: Louisiana Tech
Week 3: Florida
Week 4: Southeastern Louisiana
Week 5: at Ole Miss
Week 6: Open
Week 7: South Carolina
Week 8: at Vanderbilt
Week 9: Texas A&M
Week 10: Open
Week 11: at Alabama
Week 12: Arkansas
Week 13: W. Kentucky
Week 14: at Oklahoma

The roster has been set up for success following an impressive stretch in the NCAA Transfer Portal where Kelly and Co. signed eight Top-100 players and 16 additions in total.

The Top-100 Signees:

– Florida State EDGE Patrick Payton: No. 3
– Oklahoma WR Nic Anderson: No. 14
– Kentucky WR Barion Brown: No. 22
– Virginia Tech CB Mansoor Delane: No. 47
– Florida EDGE Jack Pyburn: No. 54
– Virginia Tech IOL Braelin Moore: No. 61
– Northwestern OL Josh Thompson: No. 74
– Florida CB Ja’Keem Jackson: No. 91

But Kelly is also intrigued at the returning youngsters coming back to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season.

After seeing multiple impactful freshmen in 2024, it’s about continuing to develop in order to hit the next gear moving forward.

Kelly alluded to the 2024 true freshmen stepping up and what the future can look like for the LSU football program

There’s seven players with one year experience on defense that just beat the pants off of Oklahoma, that’s pretty good,” Kelly said in November. “They’re 5-3. We played a lot of young players this year.

“When you take the body of work, we had three games where we had the lead late in the third quarter. I could go on and on about here’s where we’re going to be in January. Yesterday, at the hotel, 21 true freshmen made the travel roster. We’re going to introduce 16 mid-year freshmen into this roster. That’s what our roster looks like. That’s exciting.

“That coupled with key players coming back, that’s what is pretty exciting. When we’re finished with this roster, this roster will compete at the highest level.”

There’s seven players with one year experience on defense that just beat the pants off of Oklahoma, that’s pretty good,” Kelly said in November. “They’re 5-3. We played a lot of young players this year.

“When you take the body of work, we had three games where we had the lead late in the third quarter. I could go on and on about here’s where we’re going to be in January. Yesterday, at the hotel, 21 true freshmen made the travel roster. We’re going to introduce 16 mid-year freshmen into this roster. That’s what our roster looks like. That’s exciting.

“That coupled with key players coming back, that’s what is pretty exciting. When we’re finished with this roster, this roster will compete at the highest level.”

Now, LSU has received significant national buzz ahead of a critical offseason in Baton Rouge with Kelly looking to turn the corner with the Tigers.