There’s a wide range of possibilities for LSU in 2022. There’s plenty of talent, but at the same time, this is a team in a rebuilding phase.
[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and crew are counting on a lot of transfers falling into place while needing some younger guys to have a breakout year. Expectations have been higher for LSU, but the talent is still there.
ESPN put out a list of the 20 teams that can make the playoff, and LSU was included. ESPN gives the Tigers a 3.2% chance of making the final four, which is better than nothing.
The piece highlights the numerous opportunities LSU has down the stretch to boost their resume. A November schedule that includes Alabama and Texas A&M allows LSU to stumble early in the year and then recover.
Toughest test: Nov. 5 vs. Alabama. ESPN’s FPI gives Alabama an 81.5% chance to win, and while LSU will have home-field advantage, this will reveal how much work first-year LSU coach Brian Kelly has to do before the Tigers are a true contender in the SEC.
What the committee will like: A November to remember. If LSU can upset Alabama and follow with a road win at Arkansas — before punctuating its résumé with a win at Texas A&M — it will be proof the football gods are real.
What the committee won’t like: No improvement on defense. LSU has allowed 30.2 points (11th in the SEC) and 427 yards per game (12th in the SEC) over the past two seasons. Kelly hired defensive coordinator Matt House, who was on the Kansas City Chiefs’ coaching staff the past three seasons, to fix it.
LSU’s ceiling, as always, is high. The floor will be determined by the QB and OL play. If the Tigers have an offense that can move the ball, they can play with anyone in the country. This is a team that was just a few plays away from beating Alabama in 2021, after all.
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