Way TOO Early Bold Prediction
- Thread starter ALA2262
- Start date
I will say lsu will be the #1 or #2 team in the west with no more than 2 losses, but I think in the end their championship titles hopes are more dependent on if ole miss and Tennessee can beat bama because with cam Cameron there I think they have too much experiences on how to lose despite bama not always playing their best game with Cameron there.
Lsu is going to win by 6tds vs whiskey at lambeau?!?!? They couldn't beat Wisconsin by 1 td when they played in Houston 2 years ago with better overall talent. I'll give you 2 tds maybe but lsu has a hard time blowing people out not named auburn.
Lsu is going to win by 6tds vs whiskey at lambeau?!?!? They couldn't beat Wisconsin by 1 td when they played in Houston 2 years ago with better overall talent. I'll give you 2 tds maybe but lsu has a hard time blowing people out not named auburn.
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Phil Steele predicts that the AP Preseason Poll will have Bama #1 and LSU #5. Of course, those are just stupid, like me, sportswriters.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Ohio State was the consensus No. 1 team in 2015, drawing all 61 preseason No. 1 votes. This year there should be four or five that garner first-place votes. Going with the defending champ in the No. 1 slot is usually a good call, and there’s not a better team to vote No. 1 then Alabama. Last year there were a lot of doubters when it came to the Tide, who were not even picked by SEC media to win the conference (they picked Auburn), let alone the national title. Alabama has to replace quarterback Jake Coker, but the last three national titles by the Tide all came with first-year starting quarterbacks. The Tide had the No. 1 recruiting class for four straight years (2012-15), finishing No. 2 behind only Florida State in ESPN’s 2016 class rankings. With players like defensive end Jonathan Allen and linebacker Reuben Foster turning down the NFL, the defense remains one of, if not the best in the country. The Tide had just 10 returning starters last year and this year have 11 (plus both their kicker and punter), and with Nick Saban still in charge they should grab the No.1 spot in August -- and maybe in January as well.
5. LSU Tigers
Les Miles was on the verge of being fired late last year, but he has proven to be a Tiger with nine lives and bounced back with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. I have great respect for the folks at ESPN Stats & Info, and their Football Power Index (FPI) has LSU rated No. 1 -- one of my main sets of power ratings agrees with that. The Tigers have 18 returning starters, which is the most in the SEC, and one of those returnees is running back and Heisman favorite Leonard Fournette. While LSU was depleted by the number of players leaving early for the NFL in 2012 and 2013, and three left early after last season, just one starter left early after 2015 (offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins).
Phil Steele
Ohio State was the consensus No. 1 team in 2015, drawing all 61 preseason No. 1 votes. This year there should be four or five that garner first-place votes. Going with the defending champ in the No. 1 slot is usually a good call, and there’s not a better team to vote No. 1 then Alabama. Last year there were a lot of doubters when it came to the Tide, who were not even picked by SEC media to win the conference (they picked Auburn), let alone the national title. Alabama has to replace quarterback Jake Coker, but the last three national titles by the Tide all came with first-year starting quarterbacks. The Tide had the No. 1 recruiting class for four straight years (2012-15), finishing No. 2 behind only Florida State in ESPN’s 2016 class rankings. With players like defensive end Jonathan Allen and linebacker Reuben Foster turning down the NFL, the defense remains one of, if not the best in the country. The Tide had just 10 returning starters last year and this year have 11 (plus both their kicker and punter), and with Nick Saban still in charge they should grab the No.1 spot in August -- and maybe in January as well.
Les Miles was on the verge of being fired late last year, but he has proven to be a Tiger with nine lives and bounced back with one of the nation’s top recruiting classes. I have great respect for the folks at ESPN Stats & Info, and their Football Power Index (FPI) has LSU rated No. 1 -- one of my main sets of power ratings agrees with that. The Tigers have 18 returning starters, which is the most in the SEC, and one of those returnees is running back and Heisman favorite Leonard Fournette. While LSU was depleted by the number of players leaving early for the NFL in 2012 and 2013, and three left early after last season, just one starter left early after 2015 (offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins).
Phil Steele
LSU will be good next year, but this is the SEC, where the difference between 4-4 and 6-2 in the SEC can be two plays (seemingly two ridiculously random tipped passes too). Nobody knows how next year will turn out. I do assume that Les Miles will be laser focused like he was the last time Tiger nation wanted him run out of town.
It's hard to imagine his team won't rally around him. However, Bama showed how to beat them last year despite LF. If they can't pass it they can't beat Bama. Question will be will our defense be able to repeat that performance AND/OR can any other teams follow that blueprint?
They're like a wounded animal right now...they'll have a lot of fight!
Update.
I believe we are going to get a double taste of what REALLY would have happened in 2011 with a CFP. They say Bama would have been in. I don't believe so, and 2016 will prove it.
I believe the winner of Clemson-F$U will go 13-0 and the loser will go 11-1. The winner will be in. The loser will not be in.
I believe the winner of Bama-LSU will go 13-0 and the loser will go 11-1. The winner will be in. The loser will not be in.
All four will probably be ranked in the Top 4 in the polls. Except the one that counts. Winners against the losers in the CFP would be the best possible CFP. It ain't gonna happen. Two of the other 3 P5 conference champions will replace the losers.
I believe we are going to get a double taste of what REALLY would have happened in 2011 with a CFP. They say Bama would have been in. I don't believe so, and 2016 will prove it.
I believe the winner of Clemson-F$U will go 13-0 and the loser will go 11-1. The winner will be in. The loser will not be in.
I believe the winner of Bama-LSU will go 13-0 and the loser will go 11-1. The winner will be in. The loser will not be in.
All four will probably be ranked in the Top 4 in the polls. Except the one that counts. Winners against the losers in the CFP would be the best possible CFP. It ain't gonna happen. Two of the other 3 P5 conference champions will replace the losers.
I think Brandon Harris will improve more than we'd like him to this year.
Just can't see how he can improve enough to take the pressure off Fournette. 8 in the box will still be the norm. Good news is we have 8 games to wait and see.
I think Wisconsin beats them to start the season....and all those returning seniors will throw in the towel early....and LSU drops 3-4
He is a good QB in a bad system. He had zero interceptions going into the Alabama game last year. Zero - in November. But when your d-line got into his face and took away Fournette at the same time, Miles and company never adjusted. Their offensive game plan was too predictable.
I am not sure how good Harris is, but I think that the offense is a greater concern than the actual QB.
I don't know how any CFP member could not have Alabama in the 4-team playoff in 2011. LSU is 13-0. Alabama is 11-1 with only loss to the #1 team by three points. Oklahoma State is 11-1 but lost to Iowa State (6-7). Oregon is 11-2 with one loss to LSU by 13 points.
Who would we replace Alabama with to lock out two teams from the same conference? Logically it would be the #5 team ..... BUT the #5 team is Arkansas at 11-2 with only loses to LSU and Alabama, #1 and #2.
With this same situation this year it would just about have to be two teams from the same conference. If conference championships mean to much then VT is the ACC champ at 10-3. I don't think they get the nod. The B1G champ is Wisconsin at 11-2 and one of those loses to Ohio State who finished 6-7. So, who would they put ahead of Alabama? The logical choice is another SEC team, Arkansas.
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I don't dispute your facts and general assessment, but he'd only thrown 128 passes entering the game, and only two teams with middling to good defenses - MSU and Florida. He only threw 14 passes against MSU. And his passing yards are slightly misleading because almost invariably they are inflated by the 'one big play.'
Overall, though I agree with you. LSU is a very good team as long as they can simply engage the same plan. This is where Miles (along with Stoops) have shortcomings as coaches - they don't seem to be able to adjust when things aren't going well. And they leaned way too heavily on "One-Net" (Yard per carry vs Alabama).
I recall last fall when one of the LSU players was on "First Take" with Stephen A Smith and Skip Clueless and predicted the reason they would beat Alabama is because of Harris having a great game. Smith countered with the notion that if they had to rely on Harris to win it would mean Alabama had done an outstanding job of containing Fournette, which meant LSU would lose.
If Harris is consistently facing 8 in the box (and I agree he will) and STILL not having success that's on his offensive coordinator as much as it is him. You've got to find passing plays that work against that kind of front. They are there. Especially with the skill LSU has at WR.
I don't know how 'bold' this is but imho Joshua Dobbs will be the best QB we face AND the one that gives us the most problems during the regular season. Not saying UT will win the East or that they will upset us.....just that he will be the reason they might make it a real tough day.
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