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LSU Baseball falls out of Top 25 for first time in 2026
The defending national champions have struggled to open the 2026 season.
Mar. 16, 2026 at 3:25pm
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LSU's baseball team has fallen out of the Top 25 rankings for the first time this season after a road series loss to Vanderbilt. The Tigers, who started the year ranked No. 1, have gone 6-7 over their last 13 games and now sit at 14-7 overall and 1-2 in SEC play. Head coach Jay Johnson is urging his team to move past the "embarrassment" and "fear of failure" as they look to get back on track.
Why it matters
LSU's fall from the Top 25 rankings is a surprising development for the defending national champions, who were expected to be among the elite teams in college baseball this season. The Tigers' struggles have raised questions about their ability to compete at the highest level and defend their title.
The details
After starting the season ranked No. 1, LSU has dropped series to Sacramento State, Vanderbilt, and Louisiana Lafayette, as well as losing to Northeastern and McNeese. The Tigers' recent 6-7 stretch has included a road series loss to Vanderbilt, in which they dropped the first two games before salvaging a win on Sunday. Head coach Jay Johnson acknowledged the "negative feelings" surrounding the team's performance and urged his players to move past the "embarrassment" and "fear of failure."
- LSU started the year ranked No. 1 in most preseason polls.
- Since Feb. 23, LSU is 6-7 over the last 13 games.
- LSU dropped 2 of 3 to open SEC play at Vanderbilt.
- LSU will face No. 8 Oklahoma in their first SEC home series of the year.
The players
Jay Johnson
The head coach of the LSU Tigers baseball team.
What they’re saying
“Our guys take a lot of pride in this. And they haven't played as well as they want to, and there are some negative feelings that come along with those things.”
— Jay Johnson, Head Coach
“You have to get past being embarrassed or afraid to fail, and I thought there were some good steps in that direction this week. It wasn't perfect, but I loved how we took at-bats today, and I'm proud of our players for that.”
— Jay Johnson, Head Coach
What’s next
Next up for LSU is a midweek game against Grambling State on Tuesday, followed by the first SEC home series of the year against No. 8 Oklahoma, in what could be a make or break series for the Tigers.
The takeaway
LSU's fall from the Top 25 rankings is a surprising development for the defending national champions, raising questions about their ability to compete at the highest level this season. However, head coach Jay Johnson is urging his team to move past the "embarrassment" and "fear of failure" as they look to get back on track and defend their title.
