Rece Davis names the CFP contender from SEC that could go on Miami-like run
By Jacob Moss
Published:
If the first 7 weeks of the 2026 college football season have proven anything, it’s that the sport is more wide open than it has been in recent memory, with top contenders and traditional powerhouses suffering shocking losses almost weekly.
The SEC, in particular, has been home to some of the wildest week-to-week action, leading to a massive logjam at the top of the conference standings, with over half the league within 1 game of first place.
Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers have quietly stayed within striking distance of both that top spot and a College Football Playoff berth despite some early struggles, and ESPN analyst Rece Davis told Pat McAfee on Tuesday that he believes the Bayou Bengals could go on a Miami-like run if they can make it into the CFP.
“Who’s Miami from last year, that if they get in, watch out, because they can win the whole thing, and for me that’s LSU,” Davis said. “… Watching LSU the last couple of games, it feels like Leavitt is getting comfortable, is taking care of the football a little better than he was earlier, and they feel like they’re coming… If they get there, watch out, because they certainly are capable of winning the whole thing.”
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There’s no denying that the Tigers have the talent to win a national championship, but 2 early losses to Ole Miss and Kentucky have put them in a precarious situation down the stretch. They have almost no margin for error if they want to make the CFP, and they still have a couple of major tests left before selection Sunday.
If they can manage to navigate the rest of their regular season slate and make the playoffs, though, then they will have as good a chance as anybody else to win the whole thing.
