Texas vs LSU tonight is the first meeting between these two programs since Joe Burrow's Tigers won a 45-38 shootout in Austin in 2019, and it's the first time they've met as SEC rivals. This time No. 6 Texas (CFP ranking) visits No. 21 LSU in Tiger Stadium at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and both teams have a lot riding on the result. For Texas, a road win would firm up a College Football Playoff résumé that is already strong. For Lane Kiffin's LSU, a loss would drop the Tigers below .500 in SEC play in his first season. Below you'll find kickoff times in every U.S. time zone, how to watch, the matchup that will probably decide it, and what each result means for the playoff race.
Key Takeaways
- Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, and ABC has the broadcast.
- Texas is 7-2 (4-2 SEC) and has won three straight. LSU is 6-3 (3-3 SEC) after a 31-13 home loss to Alabama.
- The CFP committee has Texas at No. 6 and LSU at No. 21. The AP poll has them at No. 8 and No. 24.
- The key matchup is LSU's pass rush, ranked No. 1 nationally in adjusted sack rate, against a Texas line that has struggled to protect Arch Manning.
- Texas leads the all-time series 9-8-1, but LSU won the most recent meeting, 45-38, in 2019.
Texas vs LSU Kickoff Time and How to Watch
The game is on ABC with a 7:30 p.m. Eastern kickoff, as listed in Sports Illustrated's Saturday viewing guide and Texas Athletics' official game center. Here is the kickoff time in your zone:
| Time zone | Kickoff |
|---|---|
| Eastern (ET) | 7:30 p.m. |
| Central (CT, Baton Rouge and Austin) | 6:30 p.m. |
| Mountain (MT) | 5:30 p.m. |
| Pacific (PT) | 4:30 p.m. |
Because it's an ABC broadcast, you can watch with an antenna on your local ABC station. Cord-cutters can use any live TV streaming service that carries local ABC stations; check that your market is included before you sign up. If you're sorting out your sports streaming for the whole winter, our guide on how to watch the NBA in 2026-27 explains how the main services compare.
The same night also has Utah at Arizona and Texas Tech at Oklahoma State, so the playoff picture could look different by Sunday morning. Texas vs LSU is the game that will be talked about most, though, and the reason starts with the rankings.
Why Texas vs LSU Matters So Much for the Playoff
The selection committee's second CFP rankings of 2026, released Nov. 10, put Texas at No. 6 and LSU at No. 21. Georgia moved to No. 1. In that release, Texas is close to the top of the bracket, while LSU is barely in the conversation.
The two teams have very different jobs this weekend. Sports Illustrated's preview says Texas has a path to host a first-round playoff game if it keeps winning. A win in one of the hardest road venues in the sport would also give the committee a strong reason to keep Texas ranked above other two-loss teams. LSU Wire's statistical preview puts LSU's situation more bluntly: if the Tigers win out and finish 9-3, they have a strong chance at the playoff, but they have "no margin for error."
You can see how far things have moved since the first rankings in our breakdown of the first CFP rankings of 2026. Back in July, Sports Illustrated flagged this date as a game that could decide the SEC race. The title picture has shifted since then, but the playoff stakes are just as high.
The Matchup That Will Probably Decide It: LSU's Pass Rush vs. Manning
If you only watch one thing tonight, watch the Texas offensive line. According to LSU Wire's numbers, LSU ranks No. 1 in the country in adjusted sack rate, and Texas "struggles to protect the QB." LSU Wire names edge rushers Princewill Umanmielen and Jordan Ross as the players who need to reach Arch Manning.
Manning has played better lately. SEC Country's preview lists him at 2,024 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and a 66.1% completion rate this season. Against Missouri last week, he went 28 of 38 for 297 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in a 34-20 road win. LSU Wire describes the Texas offense as having two sides: on some drives Manning "looks like the Heisman contender he was expected to be," and on others he looks like "a middling SEC quarterback."
The running game matters here because it is what slows down a pass rush. Raleek Brown leads Texas with 537 rushing yards and six touchdowns, according to SEC Country. If Texas can run the ball on early downs, Manning gets more manageable third downs and LSU's rushers have to stay honest. If Texas falls behind schedule, Tiger Stadium will get loud and LSU's front can rush the passer on every snap.
Manning's Louisiana connection
There is also a personal story. Manning grew up in New Orleans, and The Associated Press's preview framed the trip as a return to his Louisiana roots. Playing at night in Baton Rouge in front of a crowd that knows his family name well will be a new kind of test for a quarterback who is still building his reputation.
LSU's Offense vs. the Nation's Stingiest Defense
The other side of the ball is a strength-on-strength matchup, and the numbers favor Texas. LSU Wire reports that LSU's offense ranks No. 8 nationally in points per drive and No. 9 in series conversion rate, and that Texas's defense leads the nation in both categories. Texas is also No. 1 in EPA per pass allowed and passing success rate allowed, and it leads the country in adjusted EPA per rush allowed.
LSU has a dangerous quarterback in Sam Leavitt. SEC Country lists him at 2,553 passing yards and 17 touchdowns, with nine interceptions. He threw for 380 yards in the loss to Alabama, but LSU still managed only 13 points. LSU Wire called it the offense's worst outing of the year and pointed to problems in the red zone. Running back Dilin Jones has 713 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Over the full season, LSU has scored more: SEC Country has the Tigers averaging 37.1 points per game to Texas's 31.1, with both defenses allowing fewer than 18 points per game. That suggests a low-scoring game where one turnover, one stalled drive in the red zone or one long kick return could decide it. Before that, though, there is a coaching story that has nothing to do with the stat sheet.
Lane Kiffin's First Season Hits a Critical Moment
Kiffin left Ole Miss to take the LSU job after the 2025 regular season, and CBS Sports has examined whether the Tigers are getting their money's worth from his reported $91 million contract. A 6-3 record is respectable, but expectations in Baton Rouge are very high. The Alabama loss raised the pressure further.
Sports Illustrated's preview didn't hold back, saying Kiffin is "on the verge of total disaster in his hyped debut." That is partly about the math: a loss tonight puts LSU at 3-4 in the SEC. Across the field, Steve Sarkisian is in his sixth season at Texas, which gives the visitors stability and continuity that LSU, with a new staff and many new players, is still developing.
Kiffin's teams have usually played their best when people doubted them, and Tiger Stadium at night is his biggest advantage. Over the summer, Sports Illustrated noted that LSU had gone 21-2 at home since 2023.
Texas vs LSU Series History: A Short but Memorable Rivalry
These teams don't play often. The NCAA's series history shows Texas leading 9-8-1. The most recent game is the one fans remember best: on Sept. 7, 2019, LSU beat Texas 45-38 in Austin. That LSU team went on to win the national championship.
Texas joined the SEC in 2024, but the conference schedule didn't put these teams together until this season. That makes tonight the first SEC game between them. Rivalries are built on memorable nights, and with both programs now in the same conference, this one has a chance to become a regular fixture.
What Each Result Would Mean
If Texas wins
The Longhorns would be 8-2 with four straight wins and a ranked road win in one of the hardest stadiums in the country. That would make a top-six résumé easy for the committee to defend. Texas's remaining schedule would then decide whether it can host a first-round game.
If LSU wins
LSU would be 7-3 and back in the playoff race, with the strongest win of Kiffin's first season. The committee would have to take a closer look at the Tigers, and the conversation around the program would change overnight. Texas would fall to 7-3 and need help from other results.
The wider SEC picture
Georgia hosts Missouri this afternoon as the new No. 1, and other SEC contenders also play today. So the Texas vs LSU result will be weighed against several other games before the next rankings come out on Tuesday.
If you follow pro football as well, our look at how the Vikings kept winning after a 6-0 start is a reminder that a strong first half of the season guarantees nothing in November.
Three Things to Watch in the First Quarter
Big games often show their shape early. Here are three things to watch before the first TV timeout.
- Texas's first third down. If Manning has time to throw on the first obvious passing down, it suggests the Longhorns' plan to protect him is working. If he's hit or sacked, expect LSU to keep sending pressure all night.
- LSU's red-zone finishing. Last week's loss to Alabama showed that yards don't always lead to points. Against a defense that LSU Wire ranks first nationally in points per drive allowed, settling for field goals could be costly.
- Turnovers and field position. Leavitt's nine interceptions are the one clear weakness in a productive season. A short field after a takeaway could be the biggest swing in a game where both defenses usually hold opponents under 18 points.
None of these will settle the game alone, but together they will tell you which team is controlling the game long before the fourth quarter.
FAQ: Texas vs LSU
What time is the Texas vs LSU game tonight?
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET, which is 6:30 p.m. CT, 5:30 p.m. MT and 4:30 p.m. PT, on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026.
What channel is Texas vs LSU on?
ABC has the national broadcast. You can watch on your local ABC station with an antenna or through a live TV streaming service that carries ABC in your market.
Where is the game being played?
At Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, LSU's home field, often called Death Valley.
What are Texas's and LSU's records?
Texas is 7-2 (4-2 SEC) and LSU is 6-3 (3-3 SEC). The CFP rankings have them at No. 6 and No. 21.
Who won the last Texas vs LSU game?
LSU won 45-38 in Austin on Sept. 7, 2019. Texas leads the all-time series 9-8-1.
The Bottom Line
Expect a close game that will come down to whether Texas can keep Manning upright, whether Leavitt can score against the country's best defense, and how well each team handles the pressure of a night game in Baton Rouge. Texas is playing to protect a top-six spot, and LSU is playing to stay in the playoff race. Watch the first few third downs. If the Longhorns' line holds up early, Texas has the edge. If LSU's pass rush gets home, the crowd will make it a long night for the visitors. Close, low-scoring games often come down to one play, much like the WNBA Finals Game 7 we covered last month, where a single run decided a championship.
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