Implications of 12-0 (long)

This is only the 2nd 12-0 start in the SEC (or AP, if you prefer) era of football.

The first 12-game season (11 reg, plus bowl) was in 1970, a 9-3 team that sort of marked (along with the previous year) the era of "peak" McClendon as the team was 5-0 in conference (and, obviously, SEC Champs), losing OOC games to aTm (in Tiger Stadium), @Notre Dame and the Orange Bowl to Nebraska in classic Mac fashion by a combined 10 points (18 - 20, 0 - 3, and 12 - 17 respectively).

Along the way, we've had special seasons, for sure - the 1986 season breaking the SEC drought for the first time since 1970 being the first significant one. Not without its share of setbacks - the Miami (OH) loss, as well as losing a heartbreaker to Ole Miss and the Sugar Bowl, it was also 9-3. Arnsparger departed, but the future looked bright with his talented (but young) DC getting promoted to replace him.

Archer would win 10 games in the regular season for the first time since 1958 in 1987 and in a weird harbinger of things to come, somehow lost the SEC title to Auburn (and split the title the following year with Auburn despite finishing 8-4).

After that 1988 Hall of Fame Bowl team, the dark times began in earnest. LSU would have a losing season in 1989 - only the 4th since 1956 (Mac only lost in 1975, out of 18 seasons, and that was 5-6, and Stovall had 2 losing seasons) - and endure 6th straight losing seasons and 8 out of the 11 seasons from 1989 through 1999, through 3 head coaches (even if one of them doesn't really deserve the title).

Now - I am quick to defend Archer and Dinardo (the "bookends" if you will) - Archer was a good coach, but probably unready for the big chair. Dinardo did a man's job on the turnaround job, but was stymied by the lack of stomach to do what was necessary to get over the next step.

Both Dinardo and Archer coached 10-win seasons, for example. The guy in the middle can FOAD, though, just for the record.

Saban came over from Michigan State after the 1999 season. His first season was rocky, but successful (UAB?). We would win the SEC in his second season and he was the first LSU coach to record more than 11 wins in a single season, the 2003 team (which was 13-1, suffering through an "automatic" loss to Florida which we were dealing with back then).

Then, one Leslie Erwin Miles replaced Saban (who left us for his "dream" job in the NFL, failed after only 2 years and returned to a division rival after having recommended Houston Nutt be his replacement) and elevated what was expected at LSU, winning 11 or 12 games in each of his first 3 seasons, culminating with the 2007 BCS Championship. We couldn't see it then, but that was "peak" Miles.

A couple of "down" seasons (which would have been more than acceptable for every single coach who preceded him in the job) and we were back in 2011. Sure, Les won 10 or more games, again, from 2010 through 2013, but 2011 sealed his fate - not being able to beat Bama a second time, winning the conference, but losing a "non-conference" game to Bama was his death knell.

2011 was a perfect 12-0 season. We won the SEC, handily, convincingly. You baws know the rest.

It's 2019. The Tigers are 12-0 and headed to Atlanta.

Merry Christmas.