The annual top 130 rankings are out for Athlon Sports. So where do the LSU Tigers rank among the nation’s best?
Athlon Sports put together their top 130 rankings breaking down every team in the FBS. They also broke down the strengths and concerns on offense and defense for every team, including the LSU Tigers.
LSU Tigers Breakdown
Offensive Strength
Whether it’s Myles Brennan or Max Johnson under center, LSU should feel confident in its quarterback play. The Tigers should improve up front with all five starters returning along the offensive line. Talent isn’t an issue at receiver, and Kayshon Boutte is poised for an All-America-caliber season.
LSU seems to be in a good position on the offensive side of the ball at quarterback with both Brennan and Johnson. What remains to be seen is which signal-caller will stand tall when they travel to Los Angeles, California, to kick off the season.
Offensive Concern
The Tigers averaged 7.9 yards per play in 2019 but regressed to 5.5 last year. Can new play-caller Jake Peetz get this group back to its ’19 level? The ground game needs more punch after averaging only 3.3 yards per carry last fall.
The offense wasn’t anywhere near the level they were in 2019. It wasn’t just losing passing game coordinator Joe Brady and quarterback Joe Burrow that set them back but no Clyde Edwards-Helaire was just as damaging to the offense. The running game needs to get rolling in the upcoming season.
Defensive Strength
The talent is in place for this defense to rank among the best in the SEC. The cornerback duo of Derek Stingley Jr. and Eli Ricks is arguably the No. 1 tandem in college football. A deep rotation returns up front.
No shocking developments here for the Bayou Bengals with Derek Stingley Jr and Eli Ricks ready to lock down the outside. Once again LSU has two of the better cornerbacks in the country. If Stingley plays the way he did as a freshman, that will only enhance the level of play for the Tigers’ defense.
Defensive Concern
The Tigers allowed 7.3 yards per play and 34.9 points a game last season. Is new coordinator Daronte Jones capable of fixing all of the issues in one year? Linebacker depth is a small concern, but Clemson transfer Mike Jones was a key addition.
The LSU defense lost one of their key contributors in Jabril Cox to the NFL, now Mike Jones comes in from Clemson to help solidify the unit. The linebacking corps will be one of the keys to watch week in and week out.
A look at how the SEC ranked in the Athlon Sports’ top 130: