College Football Rankings: Way-too-early Top 25 projections for 2018
By Zach Bigalke
LSU is going to lose a fair amount of talent from a team that had a Jekyll-and-Hyde season in 2017. The Tigers managed to win nine games in the just-concluded season despite losing their bowl game against Notre Dame. The 21-17 defeat against the Fighting Irish in the Citrus Bowl was all that stood between LSU and its first 10-win season since 2013.
It was a year of highs and lows for Ed Orgeron’s crew. By the end of September, LSU was just 3-2 in the standings after suffering a blowout against Mississippi State and then falling inexplicably to Sun Belt co-champion Troy. The only other losses for the Tigers, though, came against Alabama and Notre Dame.
Derrius Guice will be back for another season in the backfield, a big boost for the Bayou Bengals. They lose Danny Etling, the transfer from Purdue who locked down the quarterback position the past few years. But the defense will still be fearsome, giving the Tigers a legitimate chance in every game they play.
Orgeron’s squad opens the season against the Miami Hurricanes on neutral turf at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If LSU can return to Baton Rouge victorious from that showdown against the ACC hopefuls, they will be in good position to contend for the SEC West.