While most attribute the feeling of summer’s arrival to the weather, many college football fans feel it more in the quiet that descends around the sport once spring practice finally finishes. We’ve reached that point now, giving the media an opportunity to take a good, solid look back at how each team performed this offseason. ESPN is the latest to do so, as writers Eli Lederman, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg took on the tall task of ranking each Power Four team’s offseason by conference.
When looking at which program underwent the most change this offseason, it’s hard to name any team other than LSU football. The Tigers hired one of the biggest names in college football in former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. They also brought in a 40-man transfer class that ESPN itself ranked the best in the country. They rebuilt a roster and program that were in dire straits after last season, but, surprisingly, it wasn’t enough to earn the title of the best offseason in the SEC.
TEMPE, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 25: Sam Leavitt #10 of the Arizona State Sun Devils warms up before the NCAAF game at Mountain America Stadium on October 25, 2025 in Tempe, Arizona. The Cougars defeated the Sun Devils 24-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Did LSU football deserve the top spot?
Although LSU landed at No. 1 in ESPN’s transfer portal class rankings, Texas earned the top spot on this list. They signed ESPN’s No. 2 overall player in the portal, wide receiver Cam Coleman, along with the No. 1 and No. 3 running backs, Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown. Beyond the top three, they also signed a couple of top-ranked defenders and retooled an offensive line that had some uncharacteristic struggles last season. Texas also brought on Will Muschamp to be their defensive coordinator, a shocking move, given the fact that he hasn’t held that role in over a decade.
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While the Muschamp move is curious, Texas’s other offseason moves have many believing that Steve Sarkisian will be able to lead his team to a National Championship this upcoming season.
However, this isn’t a question of who will be more successful in 2026; it’s about who had the better offseason. In that context, it’s hard to say the Longhorns outperformed the Tigers.
LSU signed ESPN’s No. 3, 4 and 6 players in its transfer rankings at the three most important positions in the sport: quarterback Sam Leavitt, left tackle Jordan Seaton and edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen. And LSU’s class wasn’t top-heavy, either. It includes several potential stars for next season, including safety Ty Benefield, wide receiver Jayce Brown, edge rusher Jordan Ross and wide receiver Winston Watkins.
The Tigers also set themselves up with a potential Leavitt successor by signing former five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet, who is entering his redshirt freshman season.
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Beyond that, Kiffin managed to retain one of the country’s best defensive coordinators, Blake Baker, who was heavily linked to the head coaching position at Tulane before ultimately deciding to remain in Baton Rouge for his third season with the program.
Sure, Texas filled its positions of need — of which there were far fewer than LSU had heading into the offseason — but the Tigers made a turnaround the likes of which we don’t often see in college football. For that, it’s hard to say Texas deserved the top spot on the list.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: ESPN ranked every SEC team’s offseason: Where does LSU football land?
