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The LSU Tigers are aiming to get back to the mountaintop, and their start couldn't have gotten much better.
In their season opener, they took down then-No. 4 Clemson on the road, 17-10. With two more wins since then, LSU has gone from No. 9 at the beginning of the season up to the third-ranked team in the country.
"Can't complain starting off 3-0," LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
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LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. (3) scores on a long touchdown reception during a game against Baylor on Dec. 31, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Hilton said the Tigers have a "go 1-0 each week" mindset, but it had been six years since LSU began its season with a victory, which he said was a "good feeling."
The expectations, though, were automatically higher. Garrett Nussmeier is in his second full season as a starter after replacing Jayden Daniels. Nussmeier had to wait his turn, and Hilton himself, in his fifth season with LSU, has 22 career receptions, albeit with crazy big-play ability.
"I'm pretty sure it was kind of understood, when you come to a place like this, you expect competition in those rooms. That’s what you come to LSU for," Hilton admitted.
But Hilton's new NIL deal with Popeyes reflects patience and hard work. The restaurant's new campaign, by loading up a roster with 10 college athletes, is setting out to celebrate college football athletes who embody the pursuit of "better" this football season.
Chris Hilton Jr. of LSU in action against Louisiana Tech at Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, on Sept. 6, 2025. (Ella Hall/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
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"I really partnered with Popeyes in pursuit of being better on and off the field. It’s me and nine other guys, and we’re just celebrating that coming into the season. It’s their pursuit of being better. Being an athlete, that’s what we take pride in, and constant improvement. So it means a lot to me," he said.
That same characteristic, though, can be said for Nussmeier, Hilton said.
"Me and Nuss, we’ve been together since our freshman year, so we’ve got that chemistry. He’s really good. The biggest thing for him is the role he’s taken as a leader. Just seeing him take that step as a leader aspect, it’s been nice to watch," he said.
One quarter of the regular season is already complete, and barring unforeseen circumstances, the Tigers will be competing for a national championship in the 12-team playoff this year.
But Hilton doesn't want to look ahead just yet.
Chris Hilton Jr. of the LSU Tigers celebrates his touchdown with Garrett Nussmeier during the second quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Tiger Stadium on Nov. 30, 2024, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Gus Stark/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
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"I say the biggest thing for us right now, obviously, the team morale is high being 3-0 right now. I would say, you just can't look too far ahead into the future," he said. "You gotta block out all the outside noise. There's gonna be people saying good things and bad things about teams. That just comes with the sport. But we have to focus on the task at hand, which is one game each week."
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