Harold Perkins to play in East-West Shrine Bowl

By Hunt Palmer

Harold Perkins will play two more games in an LSU helmet.

The junior linebacker has accepted a spot in the East-West Shrine Bowl following LSU’s season finale in the Texas Bowl. This announcement indicates Perkins will move on an forgo his final season of eligibility.

Invitation Accepted@LSUfootball LB Harold Perkins Jr. (@HP113k) is headed to the East-West Shrine Bowl! 🐯#GeauxTigers | #ShrineBowlWHOSNEXT 😎 pic.twitter.com/uF6e3Eo5Wf

— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) December 9, 2025

Perkins has played 46 games with 36 starts over four years in Baton Rouge. He’s racked up 35.5 tackles for loss and 17 sacks as a Tiger. The former five-star recruit exploded onto the college football scene with 7.5 sacks as a freshman earning him Freshman All-America honors from multiple outlets. The Associated Press named him to the All-SEC First Team.

He never quite matched that level of production over his final three seasons. Last year he missed eight games after tearing his ACL against UCLA. He returned healthy in 2025 and has played in all 12 games making 56 stops, including eight for a loss.

Perkins was chosen to wear No. 7 prior to the 2024 season and represented the program at SEC Media Days last summer.

The East-West Shrine Bowl will be played January 27 in Frisco, Texas.