Well, I was wrong about losing at AU (happily), but I almost nailed it. I wish everybody--fans, media, unaware and uninterested passersby--would get it in their heads that LSU plays like crap on the Plains, and no matter what kind of crap team Auburn has, they do not let LSU come in Jordan Hare and beat them down. I really don't know what more history people could need to see this is the case. It's risky in the best of times to pick LSU @ AU, and it's sheer hubris to think they'll kick their teeth in, even when Auburn is really bad. This is true even when LSU has a good team, which is not exactly the case this year, even though they're improving in fits and starts.
AU lost, but sort of handed the game away with some really bad calls in a few spots. I'll credit the BR Tigers with not giving up and stiffening up on defense the second half with some nice adjustments, but AU still could've pulled that off with better coaching. How in the world you win an SEC road game with 85 yards passing, 3.8 yards per carry, and getting doubled up on yardage is beyond me, other than I guess losing the turnover battle 4-1 will do that to you. btw, I read that this was the first SEC team in over 5 years to win a conference game while throwing for less than 100 yards.
I'm not down on the program, or even this particular team. It looks to me like things are headed in the right direction. They're going to lose a number of games this year, and looking at the schedule I don't know where the next win will come from other than UAB, though I do think they'll win 1 or 2 more somewhere and make a bowl. The program, believe it or not, is still in really good shape, unlike the 90's when LSU fielded terrible teams and it would take a lot of heavy lifting to make the team good again. This should happen much more quickly. The infrastructure of a good program didn't suffer, even though O left a dumpster fire of a roster. Even now, there are some really outstanding pieces in freshman who are flashing signs of greatness. They showed up on the Plains and fought and made plays....it makes me excited for future teams.
But it won't be this year. This year we'll lose a bunch of games we'll probably be better than people expect next year based on this year's results. They do need to find a SEC-caliber center, and if a quality center is available in the portal this year I expect LSU to go after them hard. QB needs more development as well. If they're able to do those things, I project LSU to be pretty good again in the 2023/2024 range.