Now that Week 1 is behind us, there's no doubt about LSU's identity. LSU is the bare-knuckled pugilist of the 1920's, built to brawl, bleed and bruise the opponent for as many rounds as it takes for that man to drop.

LSU will win with a punishing defense, a strategic punting game, and a grinding offense, in that order. For over a hundred years, football has been played this way, and it has been proven to be a successful strategy as long as you have the brawn and speed to execute it. Think Tom Osbourne's Cornhuskers, Barry Switzer's Sooners, Bryant/Stallings/Saban's Crimson Tide. But the strategy also has proven weaknesses:
1. Turnovers are even more lethal.
Without a fast-striking offense, a gift-wrapped touchdown could prove to be insurmountable. Even a turnover that doesn't directly result in points can change field position, making it that much harder for a plodding offense to post points.

2. Falling behind is the kiss of death.
This one is simple. If the offense isn't built for quick strikes, things only get worse when you force it to act out of character. It's like trying to race Gran Turismo in your John Deere.

3. An accurate QB trumps everything.
Dan Marino said it best: "There is no defense for the perfect pass." Some coaches (especially Saban) will have you believe that there is always something that the defense could have done fundamentally different to stop that big play that the opponent is celebrating, a different alignment, a different technique. sometimes this is true, sometimes this is just a case of perfect hindsight. The truth is that a great QB (or even an average one having a great day) can shred the immovable object when he works within the framework of a great scheme and good-enough playmakers all executing with symphonic timing and harmony. Sometimes the football gods just decide to bless an offense, and there's nothing anybody can do about it. Think David Greene in '04.

4. You can lose at your own game.
Most casual fans love offense. It takes a real purist to appreciate a slugfest where the only points are from kickers. If an opponent can bog your offense down in the mud (sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally) and punt the ball well enough to neutralize field position, a close game becomes anybody's game. If a superior team's advantage of speed and quickness is neutralized by sloppy field conditions or conservative and stubborn game-planning, a superior team with both brawn and speed can fall victim to team with fewer talents. This is especially true when that inferior team is playing inspired.

So based on what history has shown, what must LSU do to win a championship?
1. Don't beat yourself. Control the ball. Control the clock.
2. Don't allow early scores. And if you do, don't panic and get out-of-character too soon.
3. Be lucky and hope a good QB doesn't run amuck.
4. Don't shy away from using an advantage just because it doesn't fit your identity. Make the most of timely, calculated risks when the reward justifies the risk.

So who will it be? Who will give LSU their first threatening test? Will it be Mississippi State's big boys in the trenches playing inspired football on national television on a Thursday night? Will it be Geno Smith catching fire in Morgantown? Could LSU survive a bout with its evil-clone in Tuscaloosa? Will the Tigers be able to dominate every team in its path until finally setting up the ultimate matchup against...Wisconsin?

TL;DR: LSU plays old-school, punishing football which has proven strengths and weaknesses.