The start of the 2010 season is still four months away, but the preseason polls continue to roll as Lindy’s Magazine has ranked the Tigers No. 18 in its football preview. Lindy’s Football Preview also ranks North Carolina No. 13 in the nation, setting up what will be one of the top two games in all of college football on the opening weekend of the season when the Tigers face the Tar Heels in Atlanta. The other big game in college football during the first week of 2010 has Virginia Tech hosting Boise State.

LSU is still taking ticket request for its game against North Carolina in the Georgia Dome on Sept. 4. The deadline for fans to submit their ticket request for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is May 31. All ticket requests can be made at www.LSUtix.net.

Other Southeastern Conference teams in the Lindy’s preseason Top 25 include: Alabama at No. 1, Florida at No. 5, Arkansas at No. 16, and Georgia at No. 19. LSU hosts Alabama and travels to face Florida and Arkansas this year. In addition, West Virginia, LSU’s opponent on Sept. 25 in Tiger Stadium, is ranked No. 19 in the Lindy’s Top 25.

Individually, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson is listed as a first team All-America in the Lindy’s Football Preview. Peterson, a junior from Pompano Beach, Fla., is coming off a year in which he ranked among the SEC leaders in passes defended with 15. He also recorded 52 tackles and a pair of interceptions, returning one for a touchdown against Mississippi State, for the Tigers in 2009. Peterson is one of four returning starters on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers, joining defensive lineman Lazarious Levingston, linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and safety Brandon Taylor.