re: We really came out flat with the playoffs on line. That’s why I’m concerned.

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And yet...they came out flat, apathetic, and executed incredibly poorly.

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Maybe they are just fricking tired and beat up. It’s not like we have great depth to rotate players constantly. I think it’s this and perhaps the players and coaching staff underestimated A&M. I think they thought we were going to roll A&M and things just never seemed to fall our way. From dropped passes to the fumble to the “ahem” ref calls…. Nothing went our way.

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The loss sucked. But what really made it sting was that this team had everything to play for. A trip to the playoffs was on the line. The team should have come out jacked out their minds to have the opportunity to head to the CFP.

And yet...they came out flat, apathetic, and executed incredibly poorly.

Fans on this board have been rationalizing the loss by resorting back to the preseason expectations, stating that because this team already exceeded those expectations, that the loss is somehow acceptable.

This is a team that crushed Florida in the Swamp, followed it up by blowing out Ole Miss and then beating Alabama. The talent was certainly there to do the same thing against a team that was last place in the SEC.

Instead, we came out looking like we didn't even want to be there. The performance was undoubtedly concerning.

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Absolutely.

Yes, the preseason expectations were minimal. Yes, you had already exceeded those. But who cares what the preseason expectations were? Here you were with a real shot to make the CFP. Certainly we all think the future is bright and there will be CFP appearances in the years to come. But the future is never guaranteed and the opportunity was there in the PRESENT. I was never one who thought this game would be a blowout. But for LSU to come out and look so lethargic with a ton on the line was disappointing.

Yes, the team is probably beaten up physically. But guess what? So is every team at the end of the season. Still, LSU had the bulk of their key players. You were missing one CB and one RB. And the guys that filled in at RB were fine. You got outcoached, outplayed, out efforted by a last place team. It wasn't a situation where Clemson lost by one to a hot and confident South Carolina team. Or even Oregon blowing a lead against a ranked OSU team. It was the last place team in the conference who, with nothing to play for, clearly wanted the win much more than you.

Overall, the 2022 season will be looked at as a success...and it should be. But there is no way to put a positive spin on Saturday night's performance. It was the absolute worst of the season considering the level of opponent and the stakes of the game for each team.