Athlon's Top 10
- Georgia
- Michigan
- Alabama
- USC
- Ohio State
- LSU
- Florida State
- Penn State
- Washington
- Utah
LSU Summary
The Bayou Bengals exceeded all preseason expectations in head coach Brian Kelly's debut last year by beating Alabama and winning the SEC West. And with QB Jayden Daniels and a havoc-producing linebacker in Harold Perkins Jr. returning, the expectations for '23 include a return to the playoff. A young offensive line took its lumps last fall but should rank among the better units in the SEC this season. Also, a standout defense reloaded its secondary through the transfer portal, while the return of Maason Smith from a torn ACL adds to a loaded front.
The roster concerns are few for Kelly, but LSU's path to a repeat in the West could hinge on a November showdown against the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.
Tigers on Athlon's All-America Teams
- 1st Team Linebacker: Harold Perkins Jr.
Perkins is also listed among the "Non-QB Game Changers"
"Arguably the best defensive freshman in the country last season, Perkins made an immediate splash for the Tigers. His knack for making big plays translated to an impressive stat sheet that included 13 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles.
- 3rd Team Wide Receiver: Malik Nabers
- 3rd Team Defensive Line: Mekhi Wingo
LSU Units in Athlon's Top Ten Nationally
- Quarterbacks - #10
- Wide Receivers - #9
- Offensive Line - #7
- Defensive Line - #4
- Linebackers - #2
- Defensive Backs - #9
Top Transfers includes:
LB Omar Speights LSU
"Speights fills an immediate need at inside linebacker for LSU after four standout seasons at Oregon State. He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors in '22.
CB Denver Harris LSU
"Harris headlines a group of transfers headed to Baton Rouge to ensure little dropoff in pass coverage. The Texas A&M transfer ranked as a five-star recruit in the '22 signing class and played in five games as a freshman."
Best Games
1. Ohio State at Michigan - Nov. 25
2. LSU at Alabama - Nov. 4
This rivalry always seems to produce drama, and this year should be no exception. The Tigers and Crimson Tide look like the top two contenders in the SEC West, and a win will carry a lot of weight in the CFP race. Alabama will look to avenge last year's 32-31 overtime loss in Baton Rouge. The game's return to Tuscaloosa should help the Tide's cause, but LSU will have a lot of its key players back, including QB Jayden Daniels.
3. Florida State vs LSU - Sept. 3
The headline game of the season's opening weekend might be the best non-conference matchup of the entire year. The Seminoles and Tigers played a dramatic contest last season in New Orleans that Florida State won by a point–on a blocked extra point with no time remaining. This year, both should be ranked in the preseason top 10, and both harbor CFP hopes. And with both squads bringing back their starting quarterbacks after averaging better than 34 points per game a season ago, there should be no shortage of fireworks.
Conference Rankings
1. SEC
2. Big Ten
3. Pac-12
4. Big 12
5. ACC
Coaches on the Hot Seat
Dino Babers, Syracuse
Mike Bloomgren, Rice
Neal Brown, West Virginia
Dana Dimel, UTEP
Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M
Getting Warm
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri
SEC PICKS
| SEC WEST |
SEC EAST |
- Alabama
- LSU
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Arkansas
- Mississippi State
- Auburn
|
- Georgia
- Tennessee
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Missouri
- Vanderbilt
|
LSU's units are ranked within the conference this way:
QB - #2 behind Arkansas,
RB - 10,
WR/TE - 3,
OL - 3,
DL - 3,
LB - 2,
DB - 3
The top (low) totals for the conference teams from the unit rankings are:
- Georgia - 16
- Alabama - 23
- LSU - 26
Big dropoff after #3.
LSU players on Athlon's All-SEC Teams:
- 1st team offense
WR Malik Nabors
- 1st team defense
DL Mekhi Wingo,
DL Maason Smith,
LB Harold Perkins, Jr.
- 2nd team offense
TE Mason Taylor
If you missed it: Summary of Lindy's College Football Preview