November 10, 2026

LSU — or at least those outside the building, but otherwise invested — learned Tuesday the damage caused by its loss to Alabama and remaining opportunity with three games left on the schedule.

The Tigers (6-3, 3-3) slid to No. 21 in the latest College Football Playoffs rankings after a horrific final 18 minutes allowed a prime opportunity to evaporate into a 31-13 loss.

Coach Lane Kiffin and his players have emphasized the importance of cleaning up their own shortcomings and focusing on a better performance this coming Saturday against Texas (7-2, 4-2) and ignoring outside noise, including rankings.

But the wider view in the CFP rankings, which determine the national postseason, is that LSU has fallen from the cusp of the 12-team playoff picture to more significantly on the outside looking in, but still not entirely out of the equation in a season that has featured unprecedented chaos around the country.

Previous No. 1 Miami (8-1) slipped to No. 7 after its 31-24 loss to then-No. 11 Notre Dame (8-1), which leaped to No. 5.

New No. 1 Georgia (8-1, 6-1) and No. 2 Utah (9-0) moved up a spot each, No. 3 Alabama (7-2, 5-2) two and No. 4 UCLA (9-0) four.

LSU has pair of significant opportunities on deck, though, home Saturday against the No. 6 Longhorns and then visiting No. 8 Tennessee (7-2, 4-2) before closing the schedule at Arkansas (3-6, 1-5).

The Tigers are eighth among nine SEC teams in the top 25 with a few head-to-head matchups between other highly ranked members of the conference still to be played.

LSU is the fifth-highest three-loss team on this week’s list behind No. 16 Oregon (6-3), No. 17 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3), No. 19 Ole Miss (6-3, 4-3) and No. 20 Ohio State.

Louisiana’s high school volleyball season will close with three fast-and-furious days of state tournament action Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Cajundome in Lafayette.

Familiar faces and outright perennial powerhouses headline the remaining fields of eight quarterfinalists in each of five divisions.

But this year’s event also provides some notable variety with six double-digit seeds having advanced to this state, the most in any year since 2020 — which also marked the last time a team outside of the top three seeds won a title.

LHSAA Network reporter Spencer Verret, who covers the sport statewide for the outlet, joined Louisiana vs. All Y’all’s Jerit Roser to preview this week’s action, including some of the biggest overall storylines and which teams are the favorites, the top challengers or more outside dark horses to bring home Saturday’s gold trophies.

Watch the full conversation above, including a division-by-division breakdown.

Visit Lafayette if possible to catch the action live of an always-electric event, or tune into the LHSAA Network on Saturday for Spencer and company’s live broadcasts of the five championships.

THURSDAY QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE BY DIVISION

DIVISION I

No. 4 Archbishop Chapelle vs. No. 12 Northshore — 5 p.m. — Court 3
No. 1 Mount Carmel vs. No. 8 Ruston — 7 p.m. — Court 1
No. 2 Mandeville vs. No. 7 Barbe — 7 p.m. — Court 2
No. 3 Dominican vs. No. 11 Ponchatoula — 7 p.m. — Court 3

Division II

No. 2 E.D. White vs. No. 10 Academy of Our Lady — 3 p.m. — Court 1
No. 4 Belle Chasse vs. No. 5 Teurlings Catholic — 3 p.m. — Court 2
No. 1 St. Thomas More vs. No. 9 South Lafourche — 5 p.m. — Court 1
No. 3 St. Scholastic vs. No. 6 St. Michael the Archangel — 5 p.m. — Court 2

Division III

No. 1 University Lab vs. No. 9 Berwick — 1 p.m. — Court 2
No. 2 Archbishop Hannan vs. No. Parkview Baptist — 1 p.m. — Court 3
No. 3 Iota vs. No. 6 Lutcher — 3 p.m. — Court 4
No. 4 Haynes Academy vs. No. 5 St. Louis Catholic — 3 p.m. — Court 3

Division IV

No. 1 Country Day vs. No. 8 Northlake Christian — 11 a.m. — Court 3
No. 3 Catholic-New Iberia vs. No. 11 John Curtis — 11 a.m. — Court 1
No. 4 Isidore Newman vs. No. 5 Lafayette Christian — 11 a.m. — Court 2
No. 2 Dunham vs. No. 10 Houma Christian — 1 p.m. — Court 1

Division V

No. 2 Episcopal of Acadiana vs. No. 10 Northside Christian — 9 a.m. — Court 1
No. 3 Riverside Academy vs. No. 6 Louise McGehee — 9 a.m. — Court 3
No. 4 Ascension Catholic vs. No 5 Central Catholic — 9 a.m. — Court 2
No. 1 Westminster Christian vs. No. 8 First Baptist — 11 a.m. — Court 4

LOUISIANA VS
ALL Y'ALL^™

LSU slips to No. 21 in College Football Playoffs following Alabama loss

Watch 2026 LHSAA volleyball state tournament preview