The LSU Baseball program has a chance to win three National Championships in four seasons in 2026. Jay Johnson has led the Tigers to national titles in 2023 and 2025, and for his efforts, received a much-deserved raise and extension earlier this offseason. Heading into a new season, the Tigers are re-stocked and re-tooled with a plethora of talent that has them as early title contenders yet again.
The 2026 schedule has been released, and there are plenty of noteworthy matchups that fans already have their eyes on. However, there are also several key omissions from the 56-game schedule that quickly caught the attention of Tiger fans.
Texas and Arkansas absent from LSU's 2026 schedule
The Texas Longhorns are noticeably absent from LSU's 2026 regular season schedule. The Tigers traveled to Austin last season to face the Longhorns from March 21-23. LSU took the opener 8-2, but Texas responded with back-to-back wins by scores of 11-7 and 6-2 to take the series. Unfortunately, LSU fans will have to wait another season for Texas to make the return trip to Baton Rouge. The Longhorns have not visited Alex Box Stadium since joining the SEC.
Another opponent that is missing from LSU's regular season schedule is the Arkansas Razorbacks. Aside from the shortened 2020 season, the Tigers and Razorbacks are used to meeting every year. The rivals have also met in Omaha on several occasions in recent years, and LSU eliminated Arkansas from the College World Series this past season.
In a game that Tiger fans will never forget, LSU took advantage of crucial Arkansas errors in a wild 9th-inning comeback to win 6-5. In dramatic fashion, Jared Jones' walk-off single sent the Tigers to the Championship Series.
Not seeing the Longhorns and Razorbacks on the regular season schedule is a bummer. The expanded 16-team SEC has made scheduling a bit more complicated, but there is still a possibility that LSU could meet Texas and/or Arkansas in the SEC Tournament or NCAA Tournament. The teams could also meet in Omaha at the College World Series. LSU opens the 2026 season on Friday, February 13 against Milwaukee.