LSU Ranked No. 18 in Latest AP Poll After Victory Over Ole Miss

Tigers are fresh off of back-to-back SEC victories, asserting their dominance in consecutive weeks.

The Tigers made a statement in their victory over Ole Miss on Saturday and put the country on notice. With the win, LSU has jumped back into the AP Poll, coming in at No. 18.

The Tigers' dominance Saturday night showed just how special this squad can be when clicking on all cylinders. With Jayden Daniels commanding the offense and Harold Perkins propelling the defense to new heights, LSU looked like a complete team against No. 7 Ole Miss. 

That’s back-to-back dominant victories for the Bayou Bengals, sitting them atop the SEC West in a season many believed would be a rebuild year. Though it may still be one, the foundation is being set for what this team is capable of down the line.

It’s been a miraculous turnaround for Daniels, LSU’s signal-caller. After a six touchdown performance last weekend against Florida, he came back with more left in the tank, doing it all against Ole Miss.

READ MORE: Defensive Dominance Propels LSU Over No. 7 Ole Miss 45-20

Daniels ended the night going 21-of-28 for 248 yards and two touchdowns, adding 121 yards and three scores on the ground. The growth he has made is remarkable.

But it’s been a complete team effort. Despite the defense starting sluggish the last two weeks, the in-game adjustments have been critical to this team’s success. 

Saturday night, we got a taste of what defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo is all about. Alongside Wingo was freshman linebacker Harold Perkins, who is emerging as a star in the SEC.

Wingo has been having an under-the-radar season. Though one cannot replace Maason Smith, who went out with an ACL injury in the season opener, Wingo has done a great job filling the void. Saturday night, he finished with seven total tackles, four solo tackles, 1.5 sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss.

For Perkins, there isn’t much that needs to be said. He’s a man-child who propels this LSU defense to new heights when on the field. 

Though he didn’t start Saturday night, he made an instant impact when he touched the field in the second quarter, and even Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin had something to say about it.

“They started playing No. 40 [Harold Perkins]… He isn’t like anyone else out there,” Kiffin said following Saturday night’s contest.

READ MORE: Recruits React - LSU Commits in a Frenzy After Win Over Ole Miss

Brian Kelly has his squad clicking on all cylinders. After consecutive SEC victories, he’s put not just the conference on notice, but the whole country. It’s hard to imagine this year being labeled as a “rebuilding” season, but the expectations of LSU remain incredibly high. 

The Tigers enter their bye week this week and will be back in action on Nov. 5 when they face Alabama, which is set to be a Top 20 matchup in Death Valley.

The latest Top 25 Poll:

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Tennessee
4. Michigan
5. Clemson
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Oregon
9. Oklahoma State
10. USC
11. Wake Forest
12. UCLA
13. Penn State
14. Utah
15. Ole Miss
16. Syracuse
17. Illinois
18. LSU
19. Kentucky
20. Cincinnati
21. UNC
22. Kansas State
23. Tulane
24. NC State
25. South Carolina