BATON ROUGE -- When LSU takes the field against Alabama on Saturday they will do so as the highest-ranked Tiger team since the 1961 was ranked No. 3 in the nation following its last regular season game of the year.
This year's version of the Tigers inched up one spot on Sunday in both national polls as LSU moved up to No. 3 in both the Associated Press Top 25 as well as that of the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll. The Tigers had Saturday off and moved past Florida State, a 26-10 loser to Clemson, to No. 3 in both polls.
The Tigers stand at 8-1 overall and 4-1 in Southeastern Conference action.
In 1961, LSU posted a 62-0 win over Tulane in its regular season finale. As a result, the Tigers moved from No. 4 to No. 3 in the AP poll on Nov. 27. The Tigers finished that year ranked No. 4 in the country.
The Tigers are now in their ninth consecutive week in the top 10 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll and they have been in the AP poll for eight straight weeks. The eight straight weeks in the AP poll is the longest stint for the Tigers since the 1987 squad spent the entire year ranked in the top 10.
In addition, LSU's No. 3 ranking in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll is its highest ranking in that poll, which originated in 1982.
Oklahoma continues to the consensus No. 1-ranked team in the country as the Sooners hold down the top spot in both polls. They are followed by Southern Cal, LSU, Ohio State and Michigan.
The bottom half of the AP top 10 has Texas at No. 6, followed by Georgia, Washington State, Tennessee and TCU. Georgia is ranked No. 6 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll followed by Texas, Washington State, TCU, and Purdue.
Other SEC teams in the AP poll include Florida at No. 15 and Ole Miss at No. 17. Tennessee is ranked No. 13 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll, followed by Florida at No. 18 and Ole Miss at No. 19.
Statistically, the Tigers still have the nation's No. 1 rated scoring defense (9.6 points per game), as well as the nation's second-best defense against the run (60.3 yards per game). In addition, the Tigers are ranked fourth in the country in total defense (264.2 yards per game).
Individually, Skyler Green continues to lead the nation in punt returns with a 26.1 average on 11 returns, while Matt Mauck ranks first in the SEC and 12th in the nation in pass efficiency with a 156.7 rating.
The Tigers will return to practice on Monday as they begin to prepare for Saturday's contest against Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Kickoff for the game is set for 6:45 p.m. and the contest will be televised to a national audience by ESPN.
