Ole Miss Football: Ranking 2020 opponents by toughness

LSU has a ton to replace all over the roster. Joe Burrow is gone, along both coordinators in Joe Brady and Dave Aranda, and plenty of other spots on the roster have to be replaced as well. Even with that turnover, a trip to Death Valley in November will be anything but easy.

Per 247Sports, 63 percent of LSU’s roster were four or five star recruits, the fifth-best percentage in the nation. Even with all the transition the Tigers must undergo, they’re still one of the country’s most talented teams.

The leader of this team will be safety Derek Stingley Jr. Former Oklahoma star wideout CeeDee Lamb called Stingley the best corner he’s ever faced, and the Tiger defensive back is definitely an early favorite for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2020.

In 2020, the Tide undergo some turnover at significant spots, including quarterback. However, they’ll still be the typical loaded Alabama roster. The middle linebacker position will be especially stacked, with four experienced players in an offseason battle for two spots.

This matchup, along with the Egg Bowl, is the kind of game that can define a season for Ole Miss. Coming off a 4-8 year, Lane Kiffin’s debut season could be a bit bumpy as he shapes the program into his image.

However, a victory against Alabama? That would alleviate any concern whatsoever, and also provide a spark that could get Ole Miss back into New Year’s Six territory in the coming seasons.