Believe it or not, LSU football has never played these FBS teams
By John Fye
The 2023 LSU football schedule includes some first-time opponents. As such, we’re curious about what teams the Tigers have never played.
SEC expansion in 2024 introduces a pair of recurring opponents in Texas and Oklahoma to the LSU football schedule. Before then, the Tigers will make history by welcoming Grambling and Georgia State to Baton Rouge for the first time. But believe it or not, there are plenty of FBS teams LSU football has never played in its 130-year history.
Here’s your breakdown by conference.
LSU football vs Independents
We (ironically) start our conference breakdown with schools that don’t belong to a conference. But, of course, Notre Dame immediately comes to mind when discussing independent schools. However, LSU football has played the Irish 12 times in program history.
However, there are a pair of unaffiliated opponents the Tigers have never played.
UConn Huskies: Connecticut started playing football in 1896 but did not fully integrate into the FBS until 2002. At one point, the Huskies were a Big East school that played in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl. However, the program has struggled to remain relevant since. Former NFL head coach Jim Mora recently bumped UConn to a bowl game, but the university’s football program will forever be overshadowed by basketball.
Massachusetts Minutemen: UMass is one of the oldest programs in FBS history and holds an FCS championship circa 1998. However, the Minutemen have been an FBS bottom-feeder since their 2013 promotion. UMass has never played in an FBS bowl game and appears light years from changing such. They finished their 2022 season with a 1-11 record.