LSU Football Schedule Ranked Fourth Toughest Nationally by ESPN FPI
Every year it seems, LSU is faced with a daunting schedule. Yet that is the price to pay for being one of the SEC's elite programs. The Tigers' 2020 schedule pulls no punches as LSU is projected to have the fourth toughest schedule in the country according to ESPN's Football Power Index.
The annual SEC opponents are enough to propel the Tigers into a top-five spot as LSU has matchups with Alabama, Florida, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Auburn every year. Outside of Georgia, those five programs consistently reside in the top-25. We at LSU Country dove into the Tigers grueling schedule and made projections of how the season turns out.
The range for most projections have the Tigers falling around 9-3 in 2020 but with a road loss to Florida and at home to Alabama, a 10-2 record is a conceivable outcome as well.
Between the consistent SEC foes and the non-conference home battle with Texas in the second week of the season, LSU would likely set itself up for a New Year’s Six bowl if it were to finish with double digit wins. The Tigers face a tough SEC road schedule in 2020 having to travel to Gainesville, Auburn and College Station, the latter two of which are back-to-back and close the regular season.
That Florida game in particular will be the first true road test for quarterback Myles Brennan and the retooled offensive line. As part of the quarantine work schedule, Orgeron and the staff made basic gameplans for each individual opponent and when Florida week appeared, Orgeron could feel a change in the air.
"I could guarantee from our meeting on Monday morning our coaches could tell it was Florida week," Orgeron said. "When they walked out, some of the guys that haven't been with me before said 'Does he really think we're playing Florida on Saturday?' I know they're doing the same thing against us and so we've got to compete and prepare."
LSU embarrassed most of the conference teams on its schedule in 2019 so you better believe those programs will be out for revenge. The Tigers were the hunters a season ago and how they respond to being the hunted early in the season will tell a lot about the makeup of the team.
