The LSU Tigers closed out its season on New Year's day and ended its season again on a winning note. It was a season that duplicated last year with another 9-3 winning regular season record and a bowl win. LSU fans and sports reporters will have much thoughts to express about the season over the next few months and this writer has some thoughts on the subject.
For the past 10 years the play off bowls have been of consequence because it is the road to the national championship. All other bowl are of no consequence including the ReliaQuest bowl that LSU played in. The proof of that is demonstrated by the fact that so many players opted not to play in their team's bowl game. After all, why play in a game of no consequence and take a chance on being injured and affect their chances to play in the NFL? What about those players responsibility to their team and university? (That will be the subject of another commentary)
The LSU defense dropped off dramatically from last year's team and no one knows what will take place next year. There will be a new defensive coordinator but no one knows who or how the change will work out. It was obvious Coach Kelly had no clue that LSU's defense would perform so bad and the team was not able to make the proper adjustments.
The Offensive stats this year were better than last year's stats and the team had the Heisman Trophy winner, but completed the regular season at 9-3, the same record as last year's team. LSU lost to Ole Miss and Alabama, two teams they defeated last year and failed to defend their SEC West title. Daniels will not return next year so LSU will start the season with a quarterback that has not completed one full season as a starting quarterback. That is a question mark that will be unknown until next season ends even though Nussmeier has performed well when he has played.
In the 2022 season LSU completed its regular season with a winning record of 9-3. That was the 4th best won-lost record in the SEC. Georgia's won-loss record was 12-0, Tennessee was 10-2 and Alabama was 10-2. In 2023 LSU's record was 9-3, the 5th best won-loss record in the SEC. Georgia was 12-0, Alabama was 11-1, Missouri was 10-2 and Ole Miss was 10-2. So Missouri and Ole Miss jumped ahead of LSU in the won-loss column this past season. Will next season be the season LSU makes the jump, or will it be someone else that pushes LSU farther down? How will the new comers, Texas and Oklahoma rank?
The SEC expansion will cause a lot of headaches and so will the new playoff format of 12 teams. No one knows where it will all end but this writer thinks neither one is a positive for college sports and especially college football.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
