Predicting the 2021 SEC Football Season: LSU Tigers

GAME 9: LSU TIGERS

We head down to the bayou for installment number six of wild blind dart-throwing predictions. This should be fun.

Coach: Ed Orgeron (45-14, SEC 28-12, beginning his sixth season at LSU; 61-41 overall)

2020 record: 5-5 in postseason (5-5 in SEC, 4th in the West Division, no bowl)

CB969 2020 Prediction: 7-3; “Despite all the new faces in Red Stick, this is still a good football team. They will be highly competitive in 2020.”

Looking back: Whoda thunk the reigning national champs would go out and stink up their home stadium in Week 1 against a lousy Missy State team? They would also lose to Mizzou and Auburn before conveniently cancelling on Alabama’s trip to BR in early November. But Greg Sankey was having none of that. The two teams reconvened in December with the Crimson Tide shellacking the Tigers 55-17. Oddly enough, they would regroup to beat Florida in the “Shoe Throw” game and finish the season at .500 after a shootout win over Ole Miss.

Returning starters: 7 on offense, 6 on defense, kicker.

Key losses: WR Ja’marr Chase (Round 1, Bengals), WR Terrace Marshall (Round 2, Panthers), LB Jabril Cox (Round 4, Cowboys), DT Tyler Shelvin (Round 4, Bengals), WR Racey Mcmath (Round 6, Titans), SAF Jacoby Stevens (Round 6, Eagles), CB Kary Vincent (Round 7, Broncos), FB Tory Carter, starting left tackle Dare Rosenthal (transferred to Kentucky), WR/TE Arik Gilbert (headcase to UGA?), starting safety Maurice Hampton (baseball?), LB Ray Thornton (to Texas), OT Siaki Ika (to Baylor), DE Travez Moore (to AzSt), P Zach Von Rosenberg.

Top returnees: DB Derek Stingley, QB Max Johnson, RB Tyrion Davis-Price, WR Kayshon Boutte, DE Ali Gaye, DB Eli Ricks, OL Austin Deculus, OL Ed Ingram, SAF Todd Harris, PK Cade York, RB John Emery.

Top newcomers: Projected starting LB Mike Jones (transfer from Clemson), SAF Major Burns (transfer from UGA), DT Maason Smith (Houma, LA), DB Sage Ryan (Lafayette, LA), DB Derrick Davis (Monroeville, PA).

Name you need to know: Kay-Kay-Kay, Shon-Shon-Shon, Kayshon Boutte, Kayshon BOU-tte. With Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall quitting on their teammates, Boutte became the #1 receiver for the Tigers last year and should continue improving this season.

Strengths: Upperclass heavy... Four out of five returning OL... Cade York is the first-team preseason All-SEC kicker... D-Line should be solid... A winnable schedule with Auburn and Florida at home...

Weaknesses: Check those bus axles; LSU has SIX new assistants... Bo Pelini and Steve Ensminger did not quite work out, so O is desperately trying to recapture the Cajun VooDoo Black Magick by hiring a guy who stood next to Joe Brady for a couple of months and the Vikings DB coach... Quarterback Myles Brennan broke his left arm when he tripped and fell, unable to brace himself with his arms full of fishing gear... Inexperienced at linebacker... A drop off at wide receiver... Auditioning for a new punter...

Outlook: It is a critical year in the tenure of marble-mouthed Coach O. This campaign might just determine which season was a fluke: 2019 or 2020? LSU returns several starters yet has once again shuffled their coaching staff. Expect better results this season but no Giant Beer Taps for the purple and gold.

Win Total Odds

Over 8.5 +100
Under 8.5 -125

2021 SCHEDULE:

Sat, Sept 4 @ UCLA 7:30 PM FOX - W - The Bruins may keep it close but, nah.
Sat, Sept 11 vs McNeese 7:00 PM SECN - W
Sat, Sept 18 vs Central Michigan 6:30 PM SECN - W - The Chippies were 3-3 last year.
Sat, Sept 25 @ Mississippi State - W - Revenge game.
Sat, Oct 2 vs Auburn - W - Home team gets the edge but be careful here.
Sat, Oct 9 @ Kentucky - W - Could LSU get caught looking ahead?
Sat, Oct 16 vs Florida - W - Emory Jones ain’t winning at Red Stick.
Sat, Oct 23 @ Ole Miss - L - I’m flipping. A win over Florida, high rankings, hype, and Bama on the horizon will make El Tigre overlook Kiffin & Co.
Sat, Oct 30 bye
Sat, Nov 6 @ Alabama - L
Sat, Nov 13 vs Arkansas - W
Sat, Nov 20 vs UL Monroe - W
Sat, Nov 27 vs Texas A&M - L

ALABAMA SCHEDULE PREVIEWS:

Sep 4 vs Miami* 2:30 PM CT, ABC
Sep 11 vs Mercer 3:00 PM CT, SECN
Sep 18 @ Florida 2:30 PM CT, CBS
Sep 25 vs Southern Miss
Oct 2 vs Ole Miss
Oct 9 @ Texas A&M
Oct 16 @ Mississippi State
Oct 23 vs Tennessee
Oct 30 bye
Nov 6 vs LSU
Nov 13 vs New Mexico State
Nov 20 vs Arkansas
Nov 27 @ Auburn

*Atlanta, GA