Ad Disclosure
Using ESPN’s FPI (Football Power Index) as a guide, 17th-ranked LSU (3-1, 0-1) has a 99.6 percent chance to beat New Mexico State (2-2) on Saturday.
TIGERS NEED TO BOUNCE BACK, GET ON TRACK AGAINST NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES.
Coaches don’t like to give players much time to mourn losses, or to celebrate wins, for that matter. Hopefully on Saturday, LSU’s players remember the sting of their home loss to Mississippi State last week and use the field as their therapy couch to work out the issues that were put on display for the country to see.
This kind of “cupcake” game, which fans and pundits are quick to complain about, comes at a good time for the Tigers. An overmatched opponent gives LSU time to figure out how to plug up the holes in their run defense that Mississippi State blasted open. It gives them a chance to find effective ways to run the ball, other than sending running backs and fullbacks straight ahead into defensive fronts waiting for them. Most importantly, it gives the coaching staff a the opportunity to fairly evaluate the two quarterbacks.
The season is one-third of the way finished. There’s plenty of football left to be played. One loss, even one at home, is not a death knell for this team. The SEC West is a gauntlet, and all seven teams are potent enough to beat their divisional rivals. LSU is by no means out of contention, but they do have a ways to go to get back to the lofty perch they sat at a week ago. That process starts against New Mexico State on Saturday, and must continue for the rest of the fall.
A former freelance journalist from Philadelphia, Brett has made the trek down to SEC country to cover the greatest conference in college football.