CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1986 LSU

9–⁠3 (5–⁠1 Southeastern Conference), coached by Bill Arnsparger, finished No. 10 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

LSU in 1986, game by game: won vs. No. 7 Texas A&M 35–17; lost vs. Miami (OH) 12–21; won at Florida 28–17; won vs. Georgia 23–14; won at Kentucky 25–16; won vs. North Carolina 30–3; lost vs. Ole Miss 19–21; won at No. 6 Alabama 14–10; won at Mississippi State 47–0; won vs. Notre Dame 21–19; won vs. Tulane 37–17; lost vs. No. 6 Nebraska 15–30+47−15Won 35–17 vs. No. 7 Texas A&M+18No. 7 Texas A&MLost 12–21 vs. Miami (OH)-9Miami (OH)Won 28–17 at Florida+11FloridaWon 23–14 vs. Georgia+9GeorgiaWon 25–16 at Kentucky+9KentuckyWon 30–3 vs. North Carolina+27North CarolinaLost 19–21 vs. Ole Miss-2Ole MissWon 14–10 at No. 6 Alabama+4No. 6 AlabamaWon 47–0 at Mississippi State+47Mississippi Sta…Won 21–19 vs. Notre Dame+2Notre DameWon 37–17 vs. Tulane+20TulaneLost 15–30 vs. No. 6 Nebraska-15No. 6 Nebraska
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 13vs7Texas A&MW 35–⁠1753%
Sep 20vsMiami (OH)L 12–⁠2168%
Oct 4atFloridaW 28–⁠1740%
Oct 11vsGeorgiaW 23–⁠1457%
Oct 18atKentuckyW 25–⁠1657%
Oct 25vsNorth CarolinaW 30–⁠371%
Nov 1vsOle MissL 19–⁠2174%
Nov 8at6AlabamaW 14–⁠1033%
Nov 15atMississippi StateW 47–⁠065%
Nov 22vsNotre DameW 21–⁠1971%
Nov 29vsTulaneW 37–⁠1791%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs6NebraskaSugar BowlL 15–⁠3051%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Nebraska 30–⁠15 in the Sugar Bowl; No. 10 in the final AP poll; Southeastern Conference champions.

In program history: The 28th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 123 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 15
  2. Wk 2: 14
  3. Wk 3: 8
  4. Wk 4: 18
  5. Wk 5: 18
  6. Wk 6: 16
  7. Wk 7: 12
  8. Wk 8: 12
  9. Wk 9: 12
  10. Wk 10: 18
  11. Wk 11: 12
  12. Wk 12: 8
  13. Wk 13: 5
  14. Wk 14: 5
  15. Final: 10

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1986.

Southeastern Conference champions5–⁠1 in the conference

Led the nationWendell Davis: receiving yards (1,244 yds)

Record
9–⁠3
Conference
5–⁠1 first in Southeastern Conference
AP final
No. 10 peak No. 5
Points
306–⁠185
Coach
Bill Arnsparger
Elo
1689 +96 this season
SP+ rating
23.0 No. 9 of 101; offense No. 18, defense No. 6
SRS
15.5 No. 12 of 105 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Ed Zaunbrecher
Defensive coordinator
Mike Archer

Drafted in 1987

The 1987 draft
Rd 3Karl Wilson DESan Diego Chargers
Rd 3Henry Thomas DTMinnesota Vikings
Rd 3Michael Brooks LBDenver Broncos
Rd 6Toby Caston LBHouston Oilers
Rd 7Roland Barbay DTSeattle Seahawks

All-SEC

5 first team, 4 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1986 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1986 Southeastern Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
LSU5–⁠19–⁠310
Auburn4–⁠210–⁠26
Alabama4–⁠210–⁠39
Ole Miss4–⁠28–⁠3–⁠1
Georgia4–⁠28–⁠4
Tennessee3–⁠37–⁠5
Mississippi State2–⁠46–⁠5
Florida2–⁠46–⁠5
Kentucky2–⁠45–⁠5–⁠1
Vanderbilt0–⁠61–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.