Both Nicholls and LSU have high hopes for their 2024 football seasons – each ranked in the Top 25 of their respective classification’s preseason Top 25 polls.
The Colonels are ranked No. 23 in the STATS Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll – a great honor for the program, which has lofty expectations for 2024 after making the playoffs last season and returning several key pieces on their team.
The Colonels were 6-5 last season but 4 of their 5 losses were to either FBS programs or Top 25 FCS programs. The Colonels went unbeaten in winning the Southland Conference Championship.
The Colonels return their quarterback, two All-Southland running backs and several other key pieces in 2024 and many expect the team to be better this year than last.
Nicholls was picked as the Preseason Southland Conference Champions, but it’s actually Incarnate Word who is the highest-ranked Southland team in the poll, coming in at No. 14. Nicholls will also play a non-conference game with Sacramento State. They are No. 8 in the Preseason Poll.
For LSU, their journey in 2024 will begin at the No. 12 position in the Top 25 polls. The AFCA Coaches Poll released its preseason poll on Monday and the Tigers come in at No. 12. LSU is the 6th highest ranked SEC team in the preseason behind No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas, No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 11 Missouri.
Other teams in the Top 10 include No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 8 Michigan. No. 9 Penn State and No. 10 Florida State.
The Tigers’ season-opening tilt with USC will also be a Top 25 matchup. USC comes in at No. 23 in the Preseason Poll.
LSU lost Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas all to the first round of the NFL Draft, but the Tigers return a lot of defensive production, 4/5ths of its offensive line and several talented playmakers. Before camp, third-year coach Brian Kelly said this was the deepest team he’s had in Baton Rouge.
