BATON ROUGE, La. – Lane Kiffin’s highly anticipated debut as LSU’s head coach created a seismic shift around a campus that already knows how to throw a party.
What had been missing?
Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand the financial benefits Kiffin’s arrival has created in Baton Rouge.
Add some spice to the jambalaya brewing outside Tiger Stadium, where tailgaters were preparing for a Mardi Gras-like atmosphere, and you have a time bomb ready to explode along the Bayou.
Fireworks are seen before the start of the NCAA football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 22, 2025. (Getty Images)
LSU fans are all-in behind Lane Kiffin after the Brian Kelly era
The community couldn’t have asked for anything better, especially with the apathy that had set in under Brian Kelly before he was ultimately fired.
There is also a new band in town running the show, which starts at the top with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.
It’s LSU against the world, and the past few weeks have made that crystal clear.
Whether it’s the never-ending topic of the Tigers administration signing off on bringing in former professional athletes to play college football or basketball, or the palpable sense of excitement around football in this part of the country, the energy is undeniable.
“I got down here two days ago, with coolers filled with cold beer and the grill prepared to flame up some Alligator,” Thomas from the New Orleans area told OutKick. He’s (Kiffin) brought a new sense of excitement to LSU football, even though we don’t take a back seat to anyone.
“This is f—ing LSU, it’s time to start competing for titles again.”
LSU’s Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge prepares for the debut of Lane Kiffin (Trey Wallace/FOX NEWS)
Well, Thomas isn’t lying, there is obviously a sense of excitement around Baton Rouge that I personally haven’t seen in a few years. And don’t forget, this fanbase is spread out all over the state and Gulf Coast, with Tiger blood running deep into family traditions.
The party atmosphere only picked up as night fell, with fans of both LSU and Clemson going at each other around the local watering holes and local restaurants.
Sure, there have been distractions around the LSU football program tied to the rostering of former professional athletes who had sued the SEC, but none of that will matter once the ball is finally kicked off tonight.
In what will remind folks of Deion Sanders’ first season at Colorado, the celebrities will be out tonight.
From congressional leaders, musical acts to even singer Lainey Wilson, everyone was headed to Baton Rouge for the party that will take place under the lights tonight in Death Valley.
And, rightfully so. There will be no bigger party in the South than what we will witness inside Tiger Stadium. After leaving Ole Miss before their run in the College Football Playoff, all eyes have been fixated on LSU.
Cheering for Clemson? It’s not all that surprising after this off-season circus
There will be a large group of college football fans that want to Dabo Swinney lead his Clemson Tigers into town and pul off the upset. For that, I can’t fault the folks who will actually cheer on Swinney, even though he’s also on the list of unlikeable coaches from a fans perspective.
But, that’s where we are at, with plenty of people wanting to see Lane Kiffin fail at LSU. Though, I’d imagine the SEC is still wanting the Tigers to thrive, even with the ongoing lawsuits being filed by multiple parties pertaining to pro-athletes returning to college.
L-R: LSU president Wade Rousse, LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry stand together at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)
Make no mistake about it, Lane Kiffin is the biggest story in college football. It’s not Curt Cignetti or what’s taking place at other schools around the sport.
No, for the past seven months, the most discussed topic in college athletics has been what’s transpiring in Baton Rouge, and by proxy Ole Miss.
For that, there’s a strong sense of urgency around these parts. LSU fans are not in the mood to hear the world ‘patience’, especially with the amount of money being spent on the football program to win immediately.
Is that fair for Lane Kiffin? Probably not, but welcome to the new era of college athletics under the guise of NIL and revenue-sharing.
As I made my way around campus on Friday afternoon, the drinking had already begun and the grills were already lit.
It’s on Kiffin and the football program to deliver the party favors tonight, with a whole bunch of public perception at stake.
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Welcome to the show, with plenty of fireworks already being ignited over the past seven months.
