LSU’s playoff hopes took a massive hit with the loss to Alabama, but they aren’t dead yet. LSU is out of the at-large race (probably). But if the Tigers can fight their way into the SEC title, they can get an automatic bid.
The Tigers don’t control their destiny, though. LSU needs help to get where it wants to go. With just three weeks to go, LSU needs results to start falling its way this Saturday.
Today, we’ll look at what LSU fans should root for across the conference and the country. Most of these wishes are geared toward LSU making the SEC title, but we’ll also examine any potential path to an at-large bid.
LSU plays at 2:30 CT, but if you’re looking for other games to get engaged with throughout the day, let this be your guide.
Here’s where LSU fans’ rooting interests should be as we enter week 12.
GEORGIA OVER TENNESSEE
Tennessee has one conference loss, putting the Vols firmly ahead of LSU in the standings. That can change this week when Tennessee takes a trip to Georgia.
The Bulldogs are favored and if Tennessee loses and LSU wins, the Tigers and Vols will both be in the two-loss category. Most tiebreaker scenarios with LSU and Tennessee work out favorably for LSU.
Tennessee winning and remaining in control of its SEC destiny complicates LSU’s path to the SEC title game.
ARKANSAS OVER TEXAS
What I said about Tennessee applies to Texas too. The Longhorns have one loss and LSU stands to benefit from as many teams joining the two-way tie group as possible.
But an Arkansas win also boosts the combined record of LSU’s opponents, something LSU needs to stay on the right side of the tiebreakers.
SOUTH CAROLINA OVER MISSOURI
The combined record of conference opponents is relevant again here. LSU played South Carolina but not Missouri. A South Carolina win boosts LSU’s SEC SOS and with the Gamecocks’ three SEC losses, they don’t pose a threat to jump LSU in the standings right now.
Here’s an example of how this might play out. Imagine these three upsets happen: Tennessee beats Georgia, Arkansas beats Missouri, and Vanderbilt beats Tennessee.
If those games fell that way, the difference between a 9-3 LSU team making or missing the SEC title depends on the result of this weekend’s South Carolina – Missouri game.
ROOT FOR CHAOS ELSEWHERE
LSU getting in as an at-large is so unlikely, that it’s almost not worth talking about. But this is college football and chaos is possible.
That’s the rooting suggestion here: chaos.
If you turn on the TV and see a one or two-loss team playing elsewhere in the country, root for them to lose. LSU needs teams like BYU and SMU out of the at-large race.
That goes for teams like Indiana, Kansas State, and Colorado too. LSU doesn’t have any remaining games with top-tier teams to propel itself up the rankings, so the Tigers need teams ranked ahead to lose.