Editor's note: This is a series previewing each of the Sooners’ opponents in 2024. OUInsider will rank all 12 games by their significance, difficulty, and entertainment value on a 1-10 scale, publishing each installment based on which team is next in the rankings. This installment focuses on LSU, the team ranked first in this series.

Oklahoma has played LSU three times in program history. The Sooners have never played them in Baton Rouge.

They'll get their welcome party at the end of November.

The Sooners will travel to LSU on November 30 on the final weekend of the regular season, marking their first appearance at Tiger Stadium — better known as Death Valley, one of the toughest places to play in college football. It'll be the final matchup in the Sooners' final three-game gauntlet: at Missouri, Alabama, at LSU.

It'll be a tough game. But how good will LSU be? That's a tough question.

The Tigers have won 10 games in back-to-back season, posting a 12-4 record in the SEC over that span. The offenses have been prolific — the Tigers averaged 45.5 points per game last season, which ranked first nationally. But the defenses have been abysmal, and there's no reason to expect it'll be much different in 2024. Plus, the Tigers lost quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy last season.

But the Tigers are expected to still be in the mix for SEC contention. They finished fifth in the annual conference preseason poll and enter the season ranked No. 13, three spots ahead of Oklahoma.

Here's a look at what the Sooners can expect from LSU:

When: Nov. 30

Time: Flex (afternoon or evening)

Where: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, New Orleans

Significance: 10/10

Difficulty: 10/10

Entertainment Value: 10/10

Total Score: 30/30

There's no denying that LSU has a ton of questions to answer in 2024. As far as the top half of the SEC, there may not be a team in the SEC with a bigger difference between their floor and ceiling.

But, if LSU lives up to preseason hype, they'll easily be one the Sooners' toughest opponents. Add in the completely unfamiliar environment of Death Valley and the stakes that come with the final week of the regular season, and this will be must-see TV.

It's hard to see a reality where this game doesn't have HUGE implications on the SEC title race, or even the College Football Playoff.

Also, just as an aside, the Sooners' only win against LSU came in 1950. The only other meetings came in the 2003-2004 national title game and in the 2019 CFP.

Every game this season will feel insanely important for Oklahoma, and it's easy to put more weight on late-season games compared to ones that happen in September and October. But this'll be a late-season environment that the Sooners haven't faced before.

QB Jayden Daniels (4,946 total yards, 50 total TDs, 4 INTs, 72% completion)

RB Logan Diggs (119 carries, 653 yards, 7 TDs)

WR Malik Nabers (89 receptions, 1,569 yards, 14 TDs)

WR Brian Thomas Jr (68 receptions, 1,177 yards, 17 TDs)

S Andre Sam (85 tackles, 3 INTs)

DL Jordan Jefferson (36 tackles, 7 TFLs, 2.5 sacks)

DL Mehki Wingo (25 tackles, 5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks)

QB Garrett Nussmeier

TE Mason Taylor (36 receptions, 348 yards, 1 TD)

WR Kyren Lacey (30 receptions, 558 yards, 7 TDs)

S Major Burns (93 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT)

LB Greg Penn III (89 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 4 sacks, 2 INTs)

LB Harold Perkins (75 tackles, 13 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, 1 INT)

WR CJ Daniels (Liberty) (55 receptions, 1,037 yards, 10 TD)

CB Jyaire Brown (Ohio State)

S Austin Ausberry (Auburn)

WR Zavion Thomas (Mississippi State)

S Jardin Gilbert (Texas A&M)

The Tigers may have had the country's best offense last season, but that's going to be hard to replicate. In addition to losing the Heisman Trophy winner, they lost their leading wide receiver duo that combined for nearly 170 receptions, 2,700 yards and over 30 touchdowns, plus their starting running back.

They'll be relying on a ton of new skill players and a quarterback in Nussmeier who doesn't have much experience, but he's entering his fourth season and is a former four-star prospect. Their defense was abysmal last season but they return most of their leaders from a year ago, which gives them some continuity. They only added nine players via the portal, but all nine of them could have huge impacts. And it's hard to overlook the addition of five-star DL Dominick McKinley.

In reality, the Tigers don't need to replicate last season's success on offense. They just need to be closer to average on defense. If they can do that, there's no reason to think they can't contend for an SEC title. They do open the season against No. 23 USC, but their conference schedule doesn't include Georgia, Texas, Missouri or Tennessee. It's not unreasonable to think they could already have nine wins under their belt heading into the final week of the regular season.

For the Sooners, a very difficult inaugural season in the SEC crescendos with a finale against LSU. Maybe the Tigers falter and prove that Daniels was the main (and only) factor in their success last season. Or maybe they show they're a formidable foe and the last thing standing between OU and a CFP berth.

The stakes couldn't get much higher.

12. Temple

11. Maine

10. Houston

9. Tulane

8. South Carolina

7. At Auburn

6. At Ole Miss

5. Alabama

4. Tennessee

3. Missouri

2. Texas

1. LSU

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