College Football Rankings 2017: Projected Week 8 AP Top 25 Poll
By Zach Bigalke
A back-and-forth season took another turn toward the positive for LSU. On a day when the Mad Hatter was back in Death Valley, LSU pulled off a 27-23 upset that brings them back into the AP Top 25 this week. Following on the heels of a close win over Florida, the takedown of No. 10 Auburn cools the seat under Ed Orgeron a bit.
Related Story: LSU Football: Les Miles to be honored at Tiger Stadium vs. Auburn
In a battle of transfer quarterbacks, Danny Etling outdueled Jarrett Stidham to lead LSU to victory. Etling finished 13-of-24 for 206 yards and a touchdown, while Stidham was held to 165 yards and a score on 9-of-26 passing. D.J. Chark caught five of Etling’s passes for 150 yards, and added a 75-yard punt return score that capped the win.
Now that they are back in the AP Top 25, how will LSU respond moving forward? The Tigers hit the road to face Ole Miss in Oxford next week. Orgeron’s crew gets a bye on the last weekend of October as they prepare for the annual Saban Bowl against top-ranked Alabama. If they can take down the Crimson Tide, could LSU open the door for a possible dark-horse bid into the College Football Playoff?