Entering this season, many in the national media thought LSU would be in for a rough year.

It hasn’t been that way so far, and Kirk Herbstreit believes those doubters have helped the Tigers get off to their hot start.

In an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Tuesday, Herbstreit gave his thoughts on how No. 6 LSU (3-0) has gone from a team some speculated would struggle to make a bowl to one that already has a pair of top-10 wins.

“You know what they’re doing? It’s the old fashioned way. Their defense has been lights out for Dave Aranda. So, that’s keeping them in the game. They’re playing so inspired. Everybody doubts them. We all know what that can do to a college football team when you feel doubted, and LSU is a great representation of that.

Joe Burrow’s numbers aren’t great. His completion percentage isn’t great. But he’s kind of playing with a chip on his shoulder. He’s kind of playing like he doesn’t care, and I feel like his team is responding to that kind of attitude. He’s made just enough big plays to help his team come up with some crucial moments to be able to win games. Will it continue? I don’t know.

The SEC West is as deep as its ever been with what Texas A&M is doing, Auburn is a good team, LSU, of course, Alabama, Mississippi State. So, it’s going to be a tough thing for them to continue to do this, but it’s been a lot of fun to watch a team feel doubted and make plays.”

The Tigers weren’t favored to beat either then-No. 8 Miami in the season opener or then-No. 7 Auburn last week, even being listed in some places as a double-digit underdog against their SEC West rivals.

LSU will likely find itself in that position again down the stretch of its brutal schedule, which feature four more games against ranked SEC teams, including Alabama and Georgia.

But that means the Tigers will have plenty more chances to prove the doubters wrong yet again.