SEC 2009 // Louisiana Losses (and Wins)

C&F's predictions for the LSU Tigers.

Finish: 3rd, SEC West

General: This is going to be better than the 8-5 team of last year. QB Jordan Jefferson, if nothing else, will improve upon the dismal production the Bengals got out of the position last year. And we can assume that new defensive coordinator John Chavis, author of a fair number of rock-solid defenses at Tennessee, will improve on a unit that was subpar by league and LSU standards. Throw in another year of Charles Scott, and you have the ingredients for a turnaround. The problem is that the West appears to easily be the deeper division this year and LSU draws the two best teams in the East, making it difficult for the Tigers to climb in the standings.

More specific: Of these calls, the one with which your humble correspondent is most uncomfortable is the Georgia game. There are very few of the wins that I think will even be in doubt; LSU is considerably stronger than almost every team on its schedule save the Dawgs, Gators, Tide and Rebels. The Washington game is a wild card just because it starts so "late" for LSU players, but these are college students who probably aren't going to bed too early anyway when not supervised by coaches. Obviously, the Ole Miss and Alabama games help determine the SEC West; if LSU knocks off one of them, it will likely be the Rebels.

Game-specific:

9.5 :: at Washington :: LIKELY WIN

9.12 :: vs. Vanderbilt :: WIN

9.19 :: vs. Louisiana-Lafayette :: WIN

9.26 :: at Mississippi State :: LIKELY WIN

10.3 :: at Georgia :: POSSIBLE LOSS

10.10 :: vs. Florida :: PROBABLE LOSS

10.24 :: vs. Auburn :: LIKELY WIN

10.31 :: vs. Tulane :: WIN

11.7 :: at Alabama :: POSSIBLE LOSS

11.14 :: vs. Louisiana Tech :: WIN

11.21 :: at Ole Miss :: POSSIBLE LOSS

11.28 :: vs. Arkansas :: POSSIBLE WIN

Final record: 8-4, 4-4 SEC

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MONDAY: LSU Addresses Its Chief Concern
TUESDAY: Pelican State Planner
WEDNESDAY: Les Gets His Groove Back; Deep in the Bayou?
TODAY: Predictions
FRIDAY: Feedback and Conclusions