I agree if you start too low you are out of the picture before the season starts. But LSU's preseason ranking before the 2003 BCSNC was #15 in the coaches poll and #14 in the AP. Also think about all the upsets last year, so not much to worry about here.
But starting that low does give you a lot less wiggle room. Starting at #2 last year, we were able to lose 2 games and still get in the championship. If we had started at #12, #13 last year and lost 2 games, we wouldn't have been close to getting that shot. I still think we are alright. The sky isn't falling. It's asking a lot to be back to back National Champions even if we don't have to kick players off of the team
True we wouldn't have made it if we started that low but last season is hard to use as a comparison. Everyone up top was dropping like flies and a 2 loss team will likely not make it to a NC again. There is a reason we were the 1st team in history to do so. I think anyone in the top 15 will have a shot if they take care of business. That means undefeated or one less loss over everyone else.
We do not drop at all and are still in the 3-4 range. That courtesy should be given to the defending national champs. Was LSU really preseason No. 2 in 2004 with MARCUS RANDALL as its QB?
After winning the Coaches Trophy in 2003, we started off the 2004 season ranked #4 in the AP Preseason Poll (behind #3 Georgia, #2 Oklahoma, and #1 USC). I don't know what rank we started in the 2004 preseason Coaches Poll.
I dunno, Red ....... seems to me that LSU will remain the preseason poll favorite ahead of Auburn. There are still a lot of unanswered questions for most of the teams in the West, it's just that LSU is now discussed as part of that group whereas before they were considered to be the clear frontrunner. Personally, I believe it's "addition by subtraction." Les did the right thing by pulling the trigger now ...... gives the depth time to prepare before September. I still believe the SECW wil come down to the LSU-AU game ..... again.
We wouldn't have another one of these :crystal: if we started last year outside the top 10, maybe even top 5.
This is true, but you need all the luck you can get to win a championship with 2 losses. Don't think we'll see that again for a very long time.
I think that in lieu of how last season ended up, most will agree that "Not likely" doesn't really amount to much of an obstacle... :wink:
