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LSU fans have
long been waiting
for the Tigers’
offense to advance
schematically past
the Stone Age and
join the spread
movement. That
moment appears
to have arrived.
Coach Ed Orgeron
hired New Orleans
Saints offensive
assistant Joe Brady
to overhaul an
offense that under
Les Miles and in
Orgeron’s first three
seasons was one
of the country’s
most archaic
units. (No LSU
passing offense
has cracked the
top 50 nationally in
six years.) Behind
closed doors at
spring practice, the
offense featured
five-receiver sets,
no-huddle looks
and a frenzied pace.
How smooth the
transition is under
QB JOE BURROW
will determine if
LSU can actually
have a real shot at
upending Bama.
X-FACTOR
THE BIG STORY After putting
up the school’s first 10-win
season since 2013, gaining a Fiesta
Bowl victory over UCF and landing a
top five recruiting class, expectations
are sky-high in Baton Rouge. LSU
has 16 starters returning, a stout
defense and a potential star at QB in
Joe Burrow directing a revamped
offense that includes playmakers
like receiver Justin Jefferson. There’s
one big obstacle: Alabama, of
course. The Tigers haven’t beaten
the Tide in eight years and have lost
by a combined 63–10 score the last
three seasons.
CAN’T MISS At the Fiesta Bowl
last December, a high school
player stole the show during LSU’s
practices. Derek Stingley, the
top-ranked corner nationally in the
2019 class and the No. 3 recruit
overall, graduated high school early
and participated in the Tigers’ bowl
prep, and with his freakish
athleticism he went toe-to-toe with
Tigers starters on the field. Stingley
was ineligible to compete in the
bowl, but he’ll be front and center
this season as a lockdown corner
and electric return man.
KEY QUESTION The good news:
LSU’s offensive line returns
unit bounce back? They’ll need
better play on the line for the new
KEY MATCHUP
BIGGEST GAME
SI RANKING
AUG. 31
GEORGIA SOUTHERN
SEPT. 7
@ TEXAS (6)
SEPT. 14
NORTHWESTERN ST.
SEPT. 21
@ VANDERBILT
OCT. 5
UTAH STATE
OCT. 12
FLORIDA
OCT. 19
@ MISSISSIPPI
STATE (20)
OCT. 26
AUBURN (17)
NOV. 9
ALABAMA (1)
NOV. 16
@ OLE MISS
NOV. 23
ARKANSAS
NOV. 30
TEXAS A&M (13)
THE RUNDOWN
3
6
9
12
15
9 –3 8 – 4 9 – 4 10 –3 9 –3
WINS
Ed Orgeron’s critics are
a little quieter after last
year’s 10-win season. But
this is LSU: 10 wins still
isn’t enough to placate
the Tigers’ fan base—or
YEAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019* to catch Alabama.
*SI PROJECTION
5 -YEAR TREND
8.5
Except for the trip to
Tuscaloosa, the Tigers
will most likely be favorites every
week. Expect double-digit wins
in Baton Rouge.
OVER OR UNDER
2019
SCHEDULE
LSU
GREG N
ELSO
N (2)
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