The first meeting between LSU and Kentucky since 2021 will feature more familiarity than typical for the series — and more national intrigue.
The Tigers (4-1, 1-1) and Wildcats (4-1, 2-1) will square off at 6 p.m. Saturday in Lexington, Ky., for just the fourth time ever as dueling top 25 teams in either poll, including the third instance in the Coaches.
Coach Lane Kiffin’s squad moved back up to No. 10 in both the latest AP and Coaches polls released Sunday after cruising past McNeese State (2-3) a few hours after No. 8 Florida (4-1, 2-1) suffered its first loss of the season.
[ READ MORE: LSU UNLOADS 63-14 VICTORY, 731 YARDS ON MCNEESE ]
Kentucky outlasted South Carolina (2-3, 0-3) in overtime in Columbia, S.C., to maintain its No. 25 spot on the Coaches list, while knocking harder at the AP door as the 26th-highest vote-getter from the media.
The Wildcats feature a rare amount of LSU- and Louisiana-relevant names on this year’s staff and roster, including former Louisiana Tech and LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan, former Neville and LSU offensive lineman Lance Heard, former LSU wide receiver Nic Anderson, former Ruston and LSU defensive lineman Ahmad Breaux and former Airline wide receiver and LSU commit Kenny Darby.
While LSU leads the all-time series by a 40-17-1 margin, Kentucky won the last meeting overall, 42-21, at home Oct. 9, 2021, as well as the last in which both were ranked teams: a memorable 43-37 triple-overtime upset of the eventual national-champion Tigers on Oct. 13, 2007.
LSU beat the Wildcats, 36-10, on the road in a ranked matchup Oct. 20, 1984.
Both teams were in both major top 25 lists in 2021 and 1984.
Kentucky also won, 33-13, in Baton Rouge when both teams were in the AP top 25, but the Wildcats were not in the Coaches poll, which at the time was a top 20.
No. 1 Texas (4-0, 1-0), No. 2 Georgia (5-0, 3-0), No. 3 Notre Dame (5-0), No. 4 Miami (5-0) and No. 5 Ohio State (4-1) continue to lead a largely unchanged top of the rankings.
And the Longhorns and Bulldogs also lead a strong SEC contingent in both major polls with nine on the AP list and 10 on the Coaches.
AP POLL — WEEK 6 (OCT. 4)
1. Texas (4-0) — Steady
2. Georgia (5-0) — Steady
3. Notre Dame (5-0) — Steady
4. Miami (5-0) — Steady
5. Ohio State (4-1) — Steady
6. Alabama (5-0) — Up 1
7. Indiana (5-0) — Down 1
8. BYU (4-0) — Up 1
9. Ole Miss (3-1) — Up 1
10. LSU (4-1) — Up 1
11. Texas Tech (5-0) — Up 1
12. Utah (4-0) — Up 1
13. Oregon (3-1) — Up 2
14. Missouri (4-1) — Up 11
15. Tennessee (4-1) — Up 2
16. Florida (4-1) — Down 8
17. Mississippi State (4-1) — Down 1
18. Oklahoma State (3-1) — Up 1
19. USC (5-1) — Down 1
20. Iowa (4-1) — Down 6
21. UCLA (4-0) — Up 2
22. Houston (4-1) — Down 2
23. Boise State (4-1) — Down 1
24. SMU (4-1) — Down 3
25. Pittsburgh (5-0) — Previously unranked
COACHES POLL — WEEK 6 (OCT. 4)
1. Texas (4-0) — Steady
2. Georgia (5-0) — Steady
3. Notre Dame (5-0) — Steady
4. Miami (5-0) — Steady
5. Indiana (5-0) — Steady
6. Ohio State (4-1) — Steady
7. Alabama (5-0) — Steady
8. BYU (4-0) — Up 1
9. Texas Tech (5-0) — Up 1
10. LSU (4-1) — Up 1
11. Ole Miss (3-1) — Up 1
12. Utah (4-0) — Up 1
13. Oregon (3-1) — Up 2
14. Tennessee (4-1) — Up 3
15. Florida (4-1) — Down 7
16. Missouri (4-1) — Up 9
17. USC (5-1) — Up 1
18. Iowa (4-1) — Down 4
19. Houston (4-1) — Up 1
20. Mississippi State (4-1) — Down 4
21. SMU (4-1) — Down 2
22. UCLA (4-0) — Up 1
23. Duke (4-0) — Down 2
24. Pittsburgh (5-0) — Previously unranked
25. Kentucky (4-1) — Previously unranked
