ESPN Analyst Makes Strong Case For LSU As SEC's Best Two-Loss Team

By Staff Reporter•Oct 27, 202611:18 am•

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ESPN's Alex Scarborough is buying into LSU after the Tigers' dominant performances over Mississippi State and Auburn the past two weeks.

In his [Week 8 college football takeaways](LINK Scarborough made a strong case for LSU being the best two-loss team in the SEC, pointing to the Tigers' combined 69-17 advantage over their last two opponents.

Scarborough praised LSU's defense under Blake Baker but was particularly impressed with the offense, highlighting the return of Trey'Dez Green, the emergence of Jackson Harris, Sam Leavitt's efficiency, and the running of Dilin Jones.

With LSU entering its bye week before a challenging three-game stretch against Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee, Scarborough believes Lane Kiffin's team is coming together at the right time.

Here's what Scarborough had to say about the Tigers:

quote:
The best 2-loss SEC team is... ?

I have a really hard time not buying into LSU right now. Go look at the way the Tigers dominated Mississippi State and Auburn in their past two games. See a final combined score of 69-17.

Everything is working for Lane Kiffin's squad: offense, defense, special teams. Blake Baker's defense absolutely shut down Byrum Brown and the Auburn running game. Princewill Umanmielen is a one-man wrecking crew off the edge with eight sacks this season. If Whit Weeks comes back, watch out because the linebacker corps is already solid as it is.

But it's the offense that's starting to look scary good. The return of star tight end Trey'Dez Green was felt against Auburn, not just with his touchdown catch but with the way it opened up more favorable coverage for the receivers. Jackson Harris has emerged as a true No. 1 target with nine receptions for 178 yards and two scores in this game. As Kiffin said afterward, quarterback Sam Leavitt is "off-the-charts efficient" right now, running and passing. He appears to have settled into the offense and gotten onto the same page with coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. And what gives it all balance is the hard running of Dilin Jones, who brings it every week.

Kiffin wanted the offense to come along faster, but as he said, "This is where we planned on being." This is the roster coming into shape -- and just in time with the next three games after a bye week against Alabama, Texas and Tennessee. -- Alex Scarborough

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Chicken•57 min

Let's be real...we have no marquee wins...so the jury is still out. Beat Bama and I will believe this team is a playoff team. The eye test says we are legit, but need to see us take out a decent team.

TheWalrus•26 min

Correct Mr. Cluck

SUB•2 min

You took the words out of my mouth Chicken. If we beat bama, then we can make these arguments.

Bucky_B•1 hour

69-17 and one of the TDs came in garbage time!! thats why I dont understand why we didnt move up further in the polls. we are clicking on all cylinders right now. and have been for 2 weeks. once we beat Bama they will know LSU is for real.

KidCreole•1 hour

It's all about "M o m e n t u m", and when you've got it, keeping it! Recognizing where you're at - any play by play, game by game by game. And when the first indication that you're momentum has slipped, you "get back on top of it" by flipping/changing it - immediately. This is where Kiffin is ingenious. He is acutely aware of momentum, and how to maintain it, or flip it, through creative play calling. And it's done through instilling Saban's "process" into each player/position (job), each and every practice/play/game! The players begin to "believe" in the process (Kiffin & staff's system), because they "see & feel it working"! This builds confidence, enthusiasm in each player; which is contagious and is transferred/spreads throughout the entire team to bring a very strong synergistic effect to the entire team. It takes time to build/instill this process or "system" into an organization. But when it comes together and clicks, by each player doing his job, each & every practice/play/player/game - it becomes obvious. The "product" is good. By maintaining the process, through careful recognition of the ebbs/flows of momentum and keeping/holding it by innovative play calls (gambling sometimes to flip it or increase it).....you WIN!

cajunmud•2 hours

C'mon Whit it!

TyOconner•2 hours

Damn right! Tigers looking strong right now. Just have to get through bama and then we have a decent shot at handling TX and Tenn.