re: So what would be a disappointing year record wise

It's the SEC anything can happen. We were supposed to beat A&M last year too and barely eaked out a W at Arkansas.

8-4 would be disappointing. Anything worse than that is hot seat worthy given this teams talent.

We have much higher standards than an A&M. They may let coaches skate by with that kind of record there with the talent they’re pulling in, but LSU has already set and achieved standards of excellence multiple times over this millennium.

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9-3 is the floor.

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Agreed

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9-3. rationally. with my heart 10-2.

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I agree with this. Anything can happen, and I think the team is definitely poised for double digit wins, but I would not be miserable over 9-3.

We are better than anyone on the schedule

12-0 is expected but 11-1 is most likely. 10-2 would be a big disappointment

9-3 would be a disappointment.

We should be 10-2, 11-1 or 12-0

I have us going 10-2, second in West, and winning a major bowl game. Losing to BAMA on the road, and then dropping one game we shouldn't. I have us finishing the season as the 5th ranked team in the NCAA as we start.

9-3 is the floor.
LSU should go 11-1 or 10-2 with all the talent we have.

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Who are the two losses? I don't see a team on the schedule we are not better than, but Alabama is Alabama. One loss?

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Florida game is the one that concerns me the most. It’s right after bama. Those games are so physical and We usually struggle in the games right after.

I wish we would have our bye after bama week instead of before.

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Anyone saying 9-3 this season is a disappointment is just not living in reality. The team Kelly took over last year was so depleted that it just isn't reasonable to expect title level play in year 2. It may indeed happen, but to be disappointed that it does not is unreasonable.

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BS.

People need to get past this antiquated mindset that progress has to be linear. Particularly in the age of freedom of transfer. Expectations from year to year should be judged on the variables present for THAT year. Not some artificial notion that progress should continue in a straight, unbroken, upward line. In fact, it is entirely possible, because of different variables, that the expectation for next year's team should and WILL be lower than they should and will be for this year's team.

This year LSU returns arguably the best and most experienced QB in the SEC. In every single season over the past 20 years that LSU played in the championship game it was behind an experienced 4th or 5th year QB.

LSU also returns virtually an entire starting 11 on offense. A big reason expectations were high going into seasons like 2011 and 2019 is because LSU was returning a lot of production from the previous season. That is the case this year.

But you can't just look at LSU in isolation. You have to look at the rest of the competition and LSU's schedule to accurately set expectations. On that note, LSU will play eight (8) SEC games. The 4 road games are at: Ole Miss, Mississippi St, Missouri, Alabama. LSU will and should be favored in at least 3 of those games. That's not to say they can't lose 1 or more of those. But it is not unreasonable at all to expect they are better than at least 3 of those teams.

The home games are against: Florida, Auburn, Arkansas, A&M. Overall, those teams are probably more talented than at least Missouri and Miss. St (with a new HC coaching a roster completely built for a unique style of play). They may be more talented than Ole Miss. Nonetheless, you are getting a "down" Florida and Auburn (relative to some of their past teams); a middle of the pack Arkansas team, and a talented but flawed A&M team with a home field advantage.

The fulcrum game is vs. Florida St. While that game is a toss up, FSU is, at best, equally as talented as LSU. Still, if you look at the preseason lines LSU is favored over every team except Alabama.

The pieces are in place for a championship run this season. That's not to say LSU will ultimately get there, but it is not unreasonable to expect they could. That may not be the case going into next season where LSU will likely be replacing several key starters.

With THIS roster and THIS schedule an expectation level of at least 10 wins is not unreasonable. That may not be the case next season based upon different variables. But it is dumb to think LSU will be better next season simply because it is supposed to be the "next step" up the ladder.

There is a reason LSU (on average) has the 5th best odds to win the NC this season, and that number has been increasing since 1.1.23