Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff remain focused on building up the program for the long haul with their recruiting efforts beginning to ramp up in the 2026 Recruiting Class. Kelly and Co. hold six commitments in next year's cycle to this point with an emphasis on Louisiana,

The Orange Bowl was a huge win for that program. The fact that they made it all this way — against Penn State, no less — speaks to the job Freeman has done. To go from losing to Northern Illinois at the beginning of the season to playing for a national championship is unheard of.

Kelly left Notre Dame for LSU and a better shot at a championship, but it's Marcus Freeman and the Irish who will play for a title.