Sports

LSU Should Be Ranked Number One in Both Polls

LSU defeated West Virginia tonight in decisive fashion. That makes LSU 4-0. Without question, they should be ranked number one in both the AP and Coach’s polls. No other team in the country can match rΓ©sumΓ©s with LSU at this point. Three out of four of LSU’s games have been against ranked teams (one of those being the #3 team in the country, the Oregon Ducks). All three of those victories have been away games for the Tigers. The Tigers have dominated all of their opponents to this point. Anybody who still thinks Oklahoma deserves the number one spot needs to get a grip on reality.

That being said, a number one ranking doesn’t mean much at this point. There is still a lot of football yet to play, and the Tigers have not yet gotten to the most difficult part of their schedule. The Tigers are looking as good (or better) than they did when they won the championship in 2003 and 2007. But both Alabama and Arkansas are big obstacles, and it is by no means certain who will win the SEC West at this point.

I’m really impressed with Jarrett Lee. He’s no superstar, but then again neither was Matt Mauck or Matt Flynn. The word is that Jordan Jefferson will be reinstated as a Tiger in the coming weeks. I’m not so sure that the Tigers should go back to him. Lee is doing fine, and the Tigers are playing well. In this case, the proverbial wisdom certainly applies. If it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.

Great game tonight. Geaux Tigers!

P.S. Did you see A&M lose that heartbreaker to OSU? That was so bad I’m actually feeling some compassion for Aggies fans. Y’all hang in there.

16 Comments

  • Matt

    Yes, all 3 were ranked… but do we really want to pretend Miss State deserved that ranking after what we have seen? This is a classic example of preseason rankings skewing things. Miss State is not a good team…

    Also, you vote on who you think is the best, not just who you think has had the toughest schedule… LSU got torched for over 500 yards tonight… I think OU is the most complete team in the country. Therefore, I would put them at 1.

  • Matt

    Struggled? Yes, Mizzou is unranked, but they were ranked a week ago- too bad OU didnt play them last week so they could count it as win against a “ranked” opponent as you did with LSU over Miss State. OU only struggled with Mizzou as much as LSU did with MSU. The MSU game was very close all the way into the 4th quarter.

    We should only say team beat ranked opponents when that team is currently ranked. Also, @FSU is a better win than @WVU.

      • Matt

        lol- yes, keep pretending Miss State is a legit “ranked opponent.” Does that mean La Tech should be ranked right behind them?!

        Oregon and WVU are good wins- im not saying anything otherwise. But you vote on who you think the best team is and many voters will still have OU as number 1.

  • donsands

    WV racked up some big time offensive yardage though. Over 500 yards wasn’t it. I like Bama as the #1 team they looked fierce in beating the Razorbacks. LSU is good, but will lose to Bama.

  • JCS

    I’m not as impressed with the LSU victory as the score would typically make me. They were only leading by less than 1 TD w/ a minute left in the 3rd (before the kick return). The score got out of hand mainly in garbage time once WV’s spirit was broken. Their highly touted D-Line did absolutely nothing and their highly touted DBs got picked apart, though the pervasive man-crushes among media personnel would never allow any of this to be mentioned.

    Have WV and LSU swap punters and WVU might win that game (average field position was insane for each team was insane and if LSU had to drive the length of the field each possession, they wouldn’t have put up that many points).

    I’m not an OU or ‘Bama fan and I’m not even arguing that LSU SHOULDN’T jump OU… I’m just not as impressed as Denny.

  • Judd Rumley

    Denny,

    I love you as a brother, a Baptist and the pastor/theologian. But I have but two words for you…

    Boomer Sooner

    Until they are beat, you will be a very close and well deserved #2!

    JPR

  • Kevin C

    I think Bama and LSU are better than OU. The ONLY reason that OU was number 1 was because they had not played anyone yet and so they got the preseason nod. LSU and Bama have both looked like better teams than OU but that love affair with OU goes back to 2000. Really, can’t we just say that to vote against an SEC team as being number one is nonsense. It has been proven for the last 5 years and will be proven again this year. The winner of the Bama/ LSU game will be the National Champion.

  • gib

    As an OU fan, let me say LSU deserves to be ranked #1 in the country. They have the most quality wins thus far.

    I could only hope that the other SEC schools would begin actually scheduling decent non-conference opponents like LSU. Bama may be really good, but beating a middle of the road Big 10 team does nothing to prove their case (PSU). The win over Arkansas means nothing at this point, because Arkansas hasn’t played a decent opponent yet. Should they beat A&M on a neutral field this week, then I’ll concede they are decent.

    The Big 12, as a conference, has only lost 2 games to non-conference teams (both ranked opponents on the road). Oklahoma, should they make it to the end of the season undefeated, will be as worthy of #1 as an undefeated SEC team. At this point, however, LSU has a better resume.

  • Steve Hayes

    Yes, LSU gave up a lot of passing yards, but this game only got close because LSU let it. The Tigers were up 27-7 at half time, and they drove the length if the field to begin the 2nd half. Lee threw a perfect pass to Ruben Randle, and he dropped a sure TD in the back of the end zone. That should’ve put the game away for good, but, after a dropped TD pass and a missed chip shot field goal, WVU gained the momentum and made the game close again.

    Of course LSU’s superior talent eventually regained the momentum and put the game away. WVU threw the ball 63 times, and was still held to 21 points. LSU’s defense remains near the top in the country in both rushing yards and points allowed, and Tyrann Mathieu, the Tiger’s dynamic DB, is currently 5th on CBS’s Heisman watch list.

    OU beat an overhyped FSU team, and struggled to separate from an average Missouri club. And anyone who acts like the Big 12 (or is that the little 9?) doesn’t have it’s fair share of patsies on the schedule is dilusional. Alabama can’t help it if a traditional powerhouse like Penn St is down this year. They were probably ranked when they were put on the schedule. Georgia opened the season against top 5 Boise St, Auburn played top 20 Clemson, LSU played top 3 Oregon, and Bama played Penn St. That’s a pretty good non-conference schedule, so stop with the “SEC don’t schedule any tough non-conference opponents” nonsense.

    Here’s the big word for LSU this year: Swagger! The Tigers have it BIG time! Florida and Bama scare me a little bit… OU doesn’t scare me at all.

    Geaux Tigers!!!!

  • gib

    Steve,

    I never said the Big 12 didn’t schedule patsies. That’s not the argument.

    Why is FSU overhyped? They lost (on the road, missing 3 starters) to Clemson, whom you use to solidify Auburn’s strength of schedule. How does that work?

    By the way, Auburn scheduled that powerhouse Utah State and should have lost. AT HOME!

    Georgia played Boise in their own backyard and go abused. Yes, Georgia is one team that historically schedules tough non-conference opponents. I’ll give it up to them. Their record also shows for it.

    LSU has played a tough schedule so far. I gave it up to them already. Hats off. I am thankful they stopped scheduling all the directional schools in Louisiana last year.

    No, Bama can’t help it that Penn St. is down. But they can help it that all their other non-conference games are at home against DII schools or patsies. For goodness sakes, at least put a Houston or Kansas St. on the schedule.

    So when was the last time that Florida traveled outside of SEC country for a non-conference game? Do a little research and get back with me on that before responding and defending the SEC non-conference schedules.

  • donsands

    SEC rules in Football, and I love the Crimson Tide. And actually, I have some love for LSU, where Bert Jones was the “The Ruston Rifle”, and was drafted by the Baltimore Colts, and is still one of my favorite QB’s of all time. I have an autographed pic from Bert. He was the NFL MVP in 1976.

    (ACC rules in B-Ball though)

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