What's wrong with that? Oreg St-W35-24 arkansas St-W56-3 @Aub-L23-20 Miss St-W45-0 @UGA-W27-17 @Fla-L27-21 Troy St-W47-6 Vandy-W54-13 Ala-W37-7 Miss-W41-10 @Ark-W30-3 SECC vs. Fla-W35-17 Ranked 4th BCS bowl vs. #1 ranked USC W-30-27 NC game vs. new #1 Miami W-23-16 I figure, WTF, why not?
An NFL team would find it hard to get through our brutal road schedule that includes two Top-6 teams in consecutive games. I think we go 10-1 with trips to the SECCG and a BCS bowl. Possible 9-2 if injuries pile up. Is it likely that LSU repeats as National Champion? No. But we are one of four teams that have a legitimate shot at it. Which is in better shape than we were this time last year. I'm going to put a few long-shot dollars down. We are going to see some great football against great opponents this year. They won't in Los Angeles, as usual, where USC can't fill the stadium in one of the worlds largest cities. There is going to be someclassic dawgfights between powerhouses in the SEC, while Southern California dances its way to a mythical national championship by pounding the same old cupcakes out west. The BCS dropping of strength-of-schedule and quality wins from the formula pretty much guarantees that the SEC will not have another national champion.
My worry is that we do get through the hard part of the schedule (Auburn, Georgia, Florida) winning all of them and then have a huge letdown and some stinker (Vandy, Hogs) surprise the hell out of us! This of course should not happen under Saban but it wasn't unusual in the pre-Saban days. Used to be the Tigers would beat the Dallas Cowboys one weekend then lose to a high school team the next. I've got Pavlov's dog syndrome but it's getting better with Saban there.
On paper, who will score on our defense- Answer: Nobody LSU's offense will need 20 points a game to run the table, and I like our chances with a SOLID O-Line, great RBs, young but fabulously talented WRs and a serviceable (sp?) QB. O-line is 80% of an offense. Yes, the schedule is tough, and it is almost crazy to predict that we will run the table. However, on paper, we take everyone we play. My heart says we run the table. My head says we drop 1 along the way during the regular season, win the SEC Champioship, and make a BCS bowl. It should be the Orange Bowl unless two other powers (USC and Oklahoma, perhaps) run the table. I can't wait.
I think LSU will surprise everyone again this year. I think Georgia will turn out like the Ole Miss game last year and thatr we go into Flordia and beat them up a bit. We can win in the Swamp, it will be the battle between the hedges to watch out for. My biggest fear is that all focus goes on the big games and we end up losing to Alabama after because the team gets a mindset of "If we can beat Georgia, everyone else is nothing", which I like to call, "DiNardo Syndrome." A good example of that was in 1997 , beat Flordia lost to Ole Miss. But, I'm very sure Saban will not let that happen. P.S. Speaking of DiNardo, why the hell did LSU pass on Spurrior, who wanted to coach here and hire DiNardo, a Vandi coach?
Man, I called that Auburn fluke win. How were the rest of ya'lls preseason predictions this time last year?
Just when I didn't think I could be more optimistic about the season, I see the recent Advocate article about how Miles will likely use his QBs. Russell and Perrilloux can bring very different styles to the table, and to see Miles hint at using RP situationally is refreshing. Even a short passing, run-intensive (option, anyone?) package of plays can be highly effective, even against top caliber teams, and it looks like Jimbo and Les recognize and acknowledge this (so far). You say teams will stack the line and play the run with RP in the game? So what. You think they didn't disrespect the pass and play the run in 2004? All that happened then was over 190 yds per game rushing. Hit 'em with a couple of series a game against certain opponents with RP stylin and profilin and woe unto the DC who has to gameplan for that against LSU. This could be, if the cards are played correctly, one of the most dynamic, multi-dimensional offensive attacks in the country among the big conference teams (the Boise States of the world hanging 60 a week on its opponents are in a separate category, IMO).
One of the most underappreciated facets of college football is the importance of having a seasoned, reliable QB. Lienart is kind of the exception, as most very good teams have a QB with a reasonable amount of game experience behind the center. Most suffer the kind of hiccups we saw last season, starting with Oregon St. The Beavers had Anderson, who was pretty cool under fire, enough so at least to make and keep the game close.
remember a certain bama team lining up a certain #2 near the goal line a few years back? could be something similar. :thumb: :thumb:
