LSU has reached its open date ranked No. 4 in the country.

If the Tigers can defeat No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 3, they will solidify their CFP position and make themselves the team to catch in the SEC West.

At the start of the season virtually no one would have predicted that LSU would be in this position this late in the season. So just how have the Tigers done it?

Here are the 10 biggest reasons LSU is in the College Football Playoff hunt:

1. The Schedule

The Tigers actually have had the best of two worlds in regards to their schedule.

Going into the season it looked like LSU would have one of the most challenging schedules in the country, and that has come to pass. But the schedule actually has not been quite as challenging as it might have appeared at first.

The Tigers defeated teams that were ranked No. 2, No. 7 and No. 8 at the time of the meetings, so their performance has earned them a dramatic ascension from their No. 25 spot in the preseason poll.

But in reality the team that was No. 2 when LSU played it (Georgia) is now No. 7 (thanks to the Tigers victory) and the teams that were ranked No. 7 (Auburn) and No. 8 (Miami) are unranked, having proven unable to maintain their lofty rankings beyond just their losses to LSU.

Had those teams proven to be as good as their rankings, LSU might have more than just its loss to then-No. 22 Florida blemishing its resume.

In other words the Tigers have reaped the benefits of their success against an extremely difficult schedule without the schedule actually being precisely as difficult as it could have been.

2. Other teams’ failings

The Tigers’ string of impressive victories rightfully shot them up the rankings, but they wouldn’t have been able to climb as high and as quickly as they have if a bunch of teams ahead of them hadn’t lost.

In addition to Auburn and Miami, eight other teams ranked ahead of LSU in the preseason poll have fallen out of the rankings after defeats – No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 11 Michigan State, No. 15 USC, No. 16 TCU, No. 19 Florida State, No. 20 Virginia Tech, No. 21 UCF and No. 22 Boise State.

Others have stayed ranked, but stumbled enough to slip behind LSU in the rankings – Ohio State, Washington, Oklahoma, Penn State and Stanford.

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3. The SEC

The strength and reputation of the SEC and its individual football programs has impressed the pollsters enough to enhance the Tigers’ standing.

The loss to Florida wasn’t devastating and its impact was essentially negated by the victory against Georgia a week later.

The strength of the SEC has helped the Tigers settle in as the highest-ranked 1-loss team ahead of 1-loss teams from other Power 5 conferences such as Michigan, Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio State, West Virginia and Washington State.

4. The analysts

OK, enough about outside forces that have been helpful. The primary reason for LSU’s position is that it has played really good football for the past two months.

Coach Ed Orgeron routinely goes out of his way to praise the contributions of the Tigers’ expanded group of analysts.

During the offseason they doubled their staff of analysts from five to 10 and that has improved the volume and efficiency of their analysis of statistics, trends and opponents.

LSU is better prepared, less predictable and generally more efficient in its game preparation and it has paid off significantly.

5. The takeaways

LSU has taken the ball away from opponents 12 more times than they have given it away.

The statistic that is the most reliable indicator of a team’s success or failure is net turnovers.

The Tigers are averaging nearly a plus-2 ratio, which makes a huge difference. They haven’t created an overwhelming number of turnovers (19), but they’ve only committed 7 turnovers.

LSU took the ball away from Georgia and Mississippi State 4 times and had no turnovers against Georgia and 1 against Mississippi State.

6. Cole Tracy

No other kicker in college football has received as much attention as this transfer from Division II Assumption College – and rightfully so.

He has made 21-of-23 field goals and the two misses have come from beyond 50 yards, though he also has made two from beyond 50, including a 54-yarder.

He kicked the game-winner at Auburn as time expired, went 5-for-5 against Georgia, helping the Tigers build a comfortable lead while waiting for the offense to come around, and he was 4-for-4 against Mississippi State in a game in which the offense never really did come around.

On top of all that, his reliability has allowed offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger to be more aggressive in his play-calling once LSU reaches the opponent’s 35-yard line, which has contributed to the Tigers being more successful in the red zone than they were last season.

7. The coordinators

Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda is the highest-paid assistant coach in college football and Orgeron calls him the best defensive coordinator in the country.

The performance of Aranda’s defense so far has explained both Aranda’s salary and reputation.

But Ensminger and specials teams coordinator Greg McMahon have also been exceptional in their first seasons in their current positions.

The work Ensminger, who doubles as quarterbacks coach, has done with Joe Burrow has been significant. The passing game has been inconsistent but dangerous at times and presents a viable threat that has often been lacking in recent seasons. The implementation of the run-pass option has added an important element to a balanced and capable offense.

McMahon made a significant acquisition with the recruitment of Tracy, but the special teams have been exceptional across the board.

On Tuesday, Orgeron cited his coaching staff and its closeness as key factors in the team’s success.

8. QB Joe Burrow

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Burrow isn’t going to win the Heisman Trophy and he’s not going to be the All-SEC quarterback. In fact he’s coming off a performance that he compared to that of “a middle schooler” and Orgeron said he agreed with that assessment.

But Burrow wasn’t brought in from Ohio State because he’s an elite playmaker. He was brought in because he’s smart, poised, versatile and talented enough to help lead the Tigers get to the position they’re in.

He’ll have to play better than he did against Mississippi State – and probably better than he has all year – if the Tigers are going to have an opportunity to beat Alabama.

He has shown that he can handle defensive pressure, make good decisions, run and pass efficiently and his teammates believe in him. Without Burrow, the Tigers aren’t where they are.

9. The offensive line

This unit could have been a disaster, but instead it mostly has been a strength.

The moving parts started moving as soon as preseason camp began when starting right guard Ed Ingram was suspended after being arrested for sexual assault. He has yet to be reinstated and likely won’t be at this point.

Multiple injuries have necessitated additional juggling and the Tigers have held it together.

Eight players have made starts on the line and six combinations have started. Starting left guard Garrett Brumfield is likely to miss his sixth consecutive game when the Tigers play Alabama.

But LSU has developed a solid running game with Nick Brossette and Clyde Edwards-Helaire sharing the work load and generally speaking Burrow has been well protected.

The line has had to employ the “next man up” philosophy more than any other position and those next men have done the job.

10. Emerging playmakers on defense

You knew Devin White was a really good player even before the targeting call heard ’round the world, and you knew Greedy Williams was a really good cornerback.

But LSU wasn’t going to become a CFP contender unless other players elevated their play to a level comparable to that of White and Williams.

Safety Grant Delpit (below) has developed into one of the elite defenders in the SEC and probably has outperformed even Williams in the Tigers secondary.

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Michael Divinity has provided a strong pass rush and been a playmaker all over the field, and Jacob Phillips as helped bolster a linebacking corps that was a bit suspect even before K’Lavon Chaisson was lost to a season-ending injury in the opener.

Others have been significant contributors as well, but those three have given Aranda a full house instead of a pair of aces to play with.