The key to LSU’s season — the Alabama game notwithstanding — might begin tonight at Arkansas against the rejuvenated Razorbacks. 

The game is the first of back-to-back road games, and the No. 8 Tigers (5-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) can’t think about Bringing on Bama until after another road trip next week to No. 14 Texas A&M, followed by an open date before the Crimson Tide. 

That’s not all that could be distracting LSU. The Tigers also have to put behind them last week’s thrilling 29-26 come-from-behind overtime victory over Ole Miss that emptied the Tiger Stadium fandom onto the turf. 

“It will be a conversation that takes place,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said of a possible letdown. “This team has got some experience, overall, they’ve been through it and know what it looks like. But we’ll talk to them about what they need to think about going into this game.” 

Kelly said he’s been pleased all season with the team’s preparation, but it wasn’t until last week’s Ole Miss comeback that he saw it translate to the field. 

“A lot of it has to do with them just not being distracted and really staying focused on what they need,” Kelly said. “This is a team that’s getting better each and every week.” 

Still, Arkansas probably was not on LSU’s big-game radar at the start of the season, which began with head coach Sam Pittman squarely on the hot seat after last year’s 4-8, 1-7 season. 

But the Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1) are coming off a 19-14 upset of then-No. 4 Tennessee and had an open date last week to prepare for LSU. 

 Never mind that LSU has won seven of the last eight meetings. The last four have been decided by three points and went down to the final horn.

The Razorbacks last beat LSU in 2021, 16-13, in Baton Rouge.

That was LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s first extended playing time.

Then a redshirt freshman, he was pressed into duty when Max Johnson was injured early in the game.

He didn’t play badly, completing 18 of 31 passes for one touchdown and two interceptions. But Arkansas won with a field goal on the game’s final play.

“He continues to grow,” Kelly said of Nussmeier, noting that his quarterback shook off two interceptions against Ole Miss to throw touchdown passes on consecutive passes, one sending the game into overtime, the other to win it on the Tigers’ first play in OT.

Kelly hinted that Nussmeier’s 14-yard scramble last week — LSU’s longest run and a key play in the tying drive — might have opened a new dimension for his quarterback.

“Those openings are going to occur,” Kelly said. “Part of his development is seeing he can run, in fact, will run. It doesn’t mean we’re going to put in a quarterback run package, but when the opportunity arises he knows he’s capable of doing that and helping the football team.”

At this stage of the season, style points aren’t important.

Just win, baby.

At the moment the Tigers, the No. 8 Associated Press ranking aside, are on the fringe of teams in contention for the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Edging closer to that goal — or not — begins tonight.