Unless LSU finds an identity on both offense and defense I think top 20 MIGHT not be realistic. It's still early in the year though. It gets slowly tougher now for the next few weeks they will have to play better every week to win now. The way the OC is calling the game though... he might as well have direct telephone line over to the opposing DC. He is making the calls for the defense very simple to make. Back to topic, no team has really looked great, Florida and Alabama to me look like the strongest teams in the country. We'll see.
Yes, but... when you play a weak conference schedule that only gives you 1 real test that your team needs to be up for... it's not difficult to do. Not like OSU or other powers for that matter play a schedule where 3 other conference oppenants you will be playing are in the top 5. Our schedule makes it very difficult for us, and the way we've faired the last 6 years with our schedules, we couldn't really ask for more... other than being ripped off in 06. Sadly, put Ole Piss in that equation and i'll agree with you. Although Bama right now looks to be the best imo... wow that hurt to say.
I have to agree that your win over Washington looks better now due to what transpired over this weekend. Honestly I think that LSU should be ranked higher than Ole Miss say #4 right behind us. I still think that the SEC West will be between us (Alabama) and LSU, not Ole Miss. I am not buying into all the hype about our sister to the west. Anyways, it's looking like the game in Tuscaloosa this year will be another classic match.
I agree...except I don't begrudge Ole Miss their being ranked where they are. I think all three of us will sink pretty good when/if we lose the first game. I really think LSU's defense has improved from last year. Bad attitude is gone, there were some fortunate graduations. LSU vs Bama looks to be a classic showdown on a national stage...even if neither team is undefeated going in. Two great coaches and teams going against each other. Throw out all pre game analysis, it's going to be "strap 'em up" football for sure no matter what !! The rest of the nation will see some SEC football that day.opcorn: :LSU231:
Even a 1 loss LSU or Bama against an udefeated whoever will make for a great matchup... it'll be the game of the week. But our D line will need to get great leverage and pushes up front if we hope to stop Ingram. He's looking to be nasty, and Trent Richardson looked good the few touches I saw him get.
I too think that LSU as a whole is a better team than Ole Miss, though I am not sure we deserve to be ranked in the top 5. However, I REALLY don't think Ole Miss deserves it. To me, based on what I have seen out of some other teams, I DO think we are a legitimate top 10 team, and I am really having a hard time finding 9 teams that I think are better than we are. Alabama looked really good Saturday, but it's hard to say how good North Texas is. They had a couple bowl teams a few years ago, but last year they got trounced in every single game, besides the single game they won. On the other hand, ULL just came off a season of bowl eligibility and a win over a BCS school in K-State, who, granted, is not a very good football team. I don't think the teams we have played are terrible teams, which will hopefully play dividends down the line. I pretty closely predicted the UF/UT game, though I figured Tebow would add another TD through the air. I still thought it would be a 10-14 point win and told everyone I knew to take the points. Before the season started, I posted some thoughts, and one of them was that the Florida offense just wasn't going to be as good without Percy Harvin. I think I was right, though Tebow still has the uncanny ability to throw the team over his shoulder and will them to a win. We are still a team struggling to find an identity, and I'm not sure if it is an issue of play-calling (whether intentional or not), lack of confidence in the players (by the coaches or by themselves), or if things just haven't quite clicked yet. All in all, this team has already experienced some adversity, which is uncommon at this point in the season. Facing adversity and overcoming it builds character, which is something this team was sorely lacking last season. I can see a difference in attitude on the field as compared to last year, and for that reason, I think things just haven't quite clicked yet. Miles has said as much, stating that this team isn't hitting on all cylinders, yet. I think it is pretty obvious that we are better than we were last year, though, which could amount to a two game swing. I still don't think we know very much. Florida certainly still deserves the #1 ranking, but they struggled in their first test, against a team with major problems at QB. That Charleston Southern team they destroyed was just as easily handled by South Florida and WOFFORD. Texas also struggled in their first test. I don't have a problem with where the top 3 are ranked. Cal and Miami have both looked pretty good. Otherwise, every other team looks a whole lot like we do. Still trying to find their way.
I agree, but less this week than last week. People are looking around the country and seeing that just about any of the top 30 teams in the country could possibly beat anyone. This year there are chinks in everyone's armor. LSU has some issues, but so do all the teams. I think Bama looks the best, but they could certainly lose to a number of teams if they play well, hell Arky could bite them this week. I know most people here are looking at our team and seeing the issues, and I understand that, but this years National Champ....regardless of who it is, is shaping up to be a very good team, but will probably not be one of the greatest teams ever. I was at the UDUB game, and for those who were there, it was an electric stadium, and they were a very solid team. They are a team that is ready and fired up to play this year, and that is a huge part of what makes a team competitive. I hope we get that fire, that is what it will take. My main point is, if not us at #7......then who? I think our wins over UW (beat USC), Vandy (bowl game last year, solid coach), and ULL (Beat Kstate 2 weeks ago, then Kstate played UCLA tough at the rose bowl) or as impressive as any other teams three wins. Enjoy the wins and get over the losses.....that's my plan for this year.
Until we make some serious strides in several struggling areas it seems pretty ridiculous to even think about being #1. Realistic expectations would say that we should be happy if we make it to the Outback bowl which is where CFN is predicting us to play. It's a new years day bowl, not bad, but of course not up to our hopes. On an odd note, CFN predicts Florida vs Cincy in the title game. Who ever would have expected that one?
