LSU, Lane Kiffin miss out on No. 1 JUCO CB recruit after Cal commitment

LSU football secured one massive transfer portal win by landing quarterback Sam Leavitt this offseason. But coach Lane Kiffin and company missed out on delivering one more College Football Recruiting win Sunday. Except LSU loses out to Cal here for top-ranked junior college cornerback Alius Mayo.

The long 6-foot-4, 190-pound defensive back out of Modesto Junior College shut his lengthy recruiting process down by choosing the Golden Bears. Hayes Fawcett of On3 adds that Alabama also was in the mix.

Cal lands a massive local commit here, as Mayo stars for a JUCO located one hour and 30 minutes east from Berkeley. Mayo rose to four-star status and emerged as the nation’s top-ranked cornerback recruit. He also earned the title of No. 1 California prospect. Now he’ll suit up for former Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who coached alongside Kiffin at Alabama under Nick Saban.

Mayo broke up five passes his side and picked off five interceptions. He also delivered one tackle for a loss. Prior to rising as a JUCO recruit, Mayo starred for Stockton powerhouse Lincoln High, returning both of his interceptions for touchdowns in 2024.

LSU continues to emphasize hitting California for recruits given Kiffin’s ties to the Golden State. Which also stretches beyond his run at USC as both an assistant and head coach. Kiffin played at Fresno State before getting his coaching start there in 1997-1998.

Although Kiffin enters 2026 carrying a “villain” label following his high-profile exit from LSU’s SEC rival Ole Miss, occurring during the Rebels’ first-ever College Football Playoff run.

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