Column: Kiffin era calls for LSU football to get an all-black look

Black LSU football jersey

LSU football has entered a new era with the arrival of head coach Lane Kiffin for the 2026 season. Becoming rebranded as what some might deem the “villain” of the SEC, it’s only fitting that the team flows right along with it.

And what better way to embrace the rebrand than with a new uniform — in all black.

Many may argue against an all-black colorway for the Tigers on the field because LSU is known for its gold-white-gold color combination that it wears for the majority of the season, both at home and on the road.

But, in recent seasons, the traditional uniform has been more often rotated out for different looks, like gold-purple-gold or even gold-gold-white.

An all-black uniform would be a great way to build on themed games like the gold-out in Death Valley when the Tigers hosted Texas A&M or the purple-out against Louisiana Tech.

Black-outs in Death Valley would undoubtedly be a spectacle, creating an electric atmosphere perfectly suited for a rivalry matchup.

Even if fans argue that LSU doesn’t use black in its primary colors, the Tigers wouldn’t be the first program to embrace an all-black look despite the color not being a part of its traditional palette.

If you look toward the Pacific Northwest, Oregon has a recognizable black “Fly Era” uniform that many Ducks fans welcomed in 2024. While it wasn’t the program’s first black uniform, it was a big hit in the Oregon fanbase as the team entered the Big Ten.

At Nebraska, a school with primary colors of red and white, an all-black uniform made way for one of the program’s biggest games of the season. Unveiled in 2025, the Cornhuskers’ black alternates feature a black jersey and pants along with a white helmet that has a black stripe.

The announcement of the alternate uniform generated plenty of excitement among Nebraska fans and is now complemented by the school’s blackout game, where the stadium paints the endzones black, and the crowd’s typical sea of red is transformed to black along with the uniforms.

In 2026, Nebraska’s black-out game takes place on Halloween night.

Looking at black uniforms in the SEC that don’t contain the color with their primary scheme, the school that sticks out is Tennessee.

The Volunteers announced their black alternates in what could be considered a top-five hype video in college football.

After announcing the return of the “Dark Mode” alternate, fans rallied in support, excited for the clean look that was unveiled in October of 2021 just in time for Halloween.

LSU Athletics hasn’t had an absence of all-black uniforms either. The school’s volleyball and soccer program hosted black-out games in 2026 where they both wore black uniforms and kits. In the spring, LSU gymnastics has regularly performed in bedazzled black leotards for multiple seasons.

The LSU Athletics website even offers official black football jerseys that feature gold and purple stripes on the sleeves.

The move is clear to make for the Tigers as they enter a new era under Kiffin and welcome a new generation of fans.

Giving the program a blackout game in October would not only make the spooky season that much more exciting, but would add another unforgettable chapter to the atmosphere of Death Valley that has made LSU one of college football’s most iconic programs.

My sister told me about it, and I thought it was a really cool opportunity to be able to write about something I love and get involved in athletics.

I plan to go to law school back on the west coast to become an athlete agent, preferably working in MMA, the MLB or even maybe the WSL.

To start working in a position that was relevant to my major.

Do remote design work and eventually open up my own screen printing business.