I find the season isn't as fun if you already hand LSU a loss. I'm just gonna go into every game thinking it's a win. 14-0:crystal:
Yet, if you watch SEC football for a couple of decades it becomes very clear that it is very difficult to win on the road in the SEC, especially against the top tier (Bama, LSU, Auburn, tennessee, Florida, Georgia). Very difficult. It can be done and has been done and I agree that LSU has the tools to beat each team on the schedule. But it is unrealistic to expect LSU to to so with road games at Bama, Florida, and Auburn. With some of those lucky breaks you mention, Bama could beat us at home, too. My heart says 14-0, but my head says 12-2 and my wallet says 11-3 or 10-3.
My only concern with this team right now is the OL. It wasn't all that great last year, and we now have less experience and lack depth. Our success will depend on how this unit comes together and if they can stay healthy. If we can't run the ball consistently and protect JR better than last year, we'll struggle on offense again. I think JR will have a monster year if he gets decent protection. I'll be an optimist and say the OL plays well and we go 12-1. I think we beat Auburn, but lose to UF. We beat UF in Atlanta for the SEC title. After that, it's impossible to predict what the BCS will do.
Two regular season losses to AU and Florida. I believe we will go undefeated at home and defeat Tennessee on the road.
Sure Wins - ULL, AZ, TU, MSU, KU, Fresno St, Ole Miss (7) Likely Wins - Tenn, Bama, Ark (3) SEC Championship Implication (Roadgames) - UA, UF (2) 10 wins likely, with up to 12 wins if the OL develops early into a VG Unit. Tenn & Bama are overrated this year, as is Auburn. I think LSU takes AU in two weeks at their house in a good game. FLA is the team to concern me the most in 2006. Going for LSU in this game is one stone cold fact. FLA plays Bama the week before us, and that will be a tough & physical game for the Gators, advantage LSU. SEC Championship Game (prediction): LSU vs. Georgia* again. *Reason: FLA's schedule is likely the toughest in America. Georgia's road is the easiest of all SEC contenders.
Welcome to the board, great first post. You should become a contributor ! I always find pre-season predictions tough because I haven't seen the team play yet. Not that the first game reveals very much but you can get a better sense for what the team is like. I'm going to go with 10 - 2 hoping that I am wrong and we don't lose any. One thing is for sure, we cannot afford to lose any home games. I would like a rematch with Jawja in the SECC game. They put the wood to us the last two times that we played after we put it to them the two previous times. Go Tigers !
And that is precisely why I started this thread before the first game. :hihi: And I agree, great first post for zinc 83. Though I fear Bama more than any other team this season. It is fun to look back at this type of thread the end of the season to see how wrong/right we were as far as what teams we feared.
Well, so is LSU, a little bit. I think we are a solid top-10 team, but perhaps not the top-5 team some have predicted. I put Auburn in the same category. Bama is back, I think and will have a top-20 finish as will Tennessee. But if any of these teams fail miserably, it will be Tennessee. Welcome to the board.
Thanks, guys. Bama has 5 tough "ROAD games". Ark/Fla together, Tenn, LSU/AU in their Iron Bowl together. They'll be up for LSU, but it has cost them 4 Iron Bowls in a row with AU when they schedule us before AU and line themselves up for a physical game and beating. AU plays GA the same week LSU plays Bama. Bama won't hang with the LSU offense, not this year. Bama might win 2 of these games and Bama will be lucky if they finish in the Top 25. As for being "back", they'll be "back" when they can field a decent team that isn't one-dimensional (all defense, lack of a good pass attack). I don't see that happening any time soon. So, Bama remains in the middle of the SEC pack, only playing spoiler, same as the bunch from Fayetteville.
I predeict that we will win as many game as our record reflects! 10-2 in the regular season!:lsup: :geauxtige :lsup:
