re: Is season a huge disappointment if we lose to A&M?

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I can only assume Les was fired because LSU had plateaued under him at 8-10 wins per season and the program was looking to take the next step up. However, judging by some of the posts here it appears Les was fired so LSU could LOWER the expectations of success

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What was Alleva's comment about expectations, that we should be happy with being in the hunt for the championship or something like that? I remember it being really sad that our AD thought like that.

I want A&M to continue to be our bitch,not to mention what this game means from a recruiting standpoint, this year & next...

Nobody on this board, including myself, would have guessed LSU in the first CFP poll so high. That in itself brings visibility, recruiting and all the rest. Beating Georgia gets us Emery and more. As well nobody thought we would still be in this discussion even if very remote (ala 2006). Regardless I sure hope we beat Lil Jimbo and then we are in even better position. It is a different angle to your question. Geaux Tigers.

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9-3 with a great defense, bad offense, and lopsided loss to Bama means the program hasn't progressed at all since Les was fired.

10-2 with a NY6 appearance is at least progress and gives you some since of optimism that if LSU would EVER be willing to fix it's offensive woes, this program could return being the powerhouse it used to be.

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The difference in record is meaningless to the same issue we had under Les (10-2, 9-3, makes no difference is the offense still blows). We moved on from Les because our offense was woefully bad almost every year, our offense is still there, and preventing us from winning enough games to be a championship caliber team.

Sure, 10-2 compared to 9-3 would be nice, but it's still relatively meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Both are way better than the pre-season expectation the non-biased had of 5-7/6-6 though, so to me, that at least shows we aren't headed in the opposite direction which was the expectation of most. In the end I am about just as happy with 10-2 as 9-3 considering the same problem still persists that obviously somehow has to be fixed. The program doesn't truly move forward until that happens.

But it's nice to shove it in the national pundits face we were way way better this year than they expected, no doubt

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Both are way better than the pre-season expectation the non-biased had of 5-7/6-6 though, so to me, that at least shows we aren't headed in the opposite direction which was the expectation of most.

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How? Our offense has been horrid and the only reason that LSU was predicted by many to go 6-6 was because of the supposed vaunted schedule.

4 top 10 teams turned to 2 top 10 teams and 2 very mediocre teams that will end up with losing records in their conferences.

On top of that, MSU is worse than last year. Florida is about the same and beat us.

0 points against Bama again and an even worse loss than O's 2016 home game.

If we want to be honest, LSU is not improving at all. They are at best stagnant compared to their peers outside of Alabama.

OL is regressing (nearly all players with experience on there regressed. We have two WR coaches and play has gotten worse as the season has gone on.

RB position has been meh.

TE position has been meh.

on Defense, the DL has been a disappointment overall given the preseason hype but the other two units have been as expected or slightly better.

In the end, LSU seems to be the same as last year without playing a tough OOC opponent.

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In 2015 LSU started outside the top 10 and were ranked 2nd in the first CFP poll (before getting thumped by Alabama). The recruiting class during that season was VERY highly regarded (eventually finishing #2). YET, the team carried Les Miles off the field in what was supposed to be his final game at LSU and many fans were completely on board with the presumed firing.

Now, we have virtually the same series of events (ranked higher than expected in first CFP poll before getting thumped by Bama; All the makings of a good recruiting class) and fans want to celebrate the season as a great success?

The ONLY thing that has apparently changed is LOWERED expectations of the program. So we're now supposed to celebrate what not very long a go wasn't good enough? O did a "great" job because he exceeded his own lowered expectations? Are we living in a bizzaro world?

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Yup. Literally the only difference from that year to this one if LSU loses to A&M would be that McNeese State game that got cancelled.

Les was basically 10-3 in his last full season at LSU, but people will ignore that.

Why is TAMU favored?

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Why is TAMU favored?

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It doesn't matter who is favored

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I agree with all that. We need to win this game but losing the bowl game has lingering effects all off season. Need to end with a win but ending with two wins is even better.


This game kind of has the feel of a bowl game

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Yeah, these next 2 games are huge in terms of how we will be viewed by the national media through the offseason. That perception definitely is big in the all important recruiting battle as we try firm up our footing as an elite team capable of contending with the best. If I had to choose a single win out of the 2 though I would say the bowl game though because of the lingering perception.

“Huge disappointment” - no. But disappointing end and frustrating regret - yes.