re: When’s the last time it was acceptable to lose to Bama?

Not really sure what angle you're trying to pedal with this commentary. Expectations of fans don't mean shite - what matters is what coaches and players actually "DO" to prepare themselves for the best opportunity to beat the #1 team. Whether you agree or not, this team has a tremendous amount of incentive to prepare and play hard to win, not just be competitive - upsetting the best team in the nation (regardless of your record) is plenty enough. Does it mean anyone "expects" LSU to win?? Forget depth and experience issues - home field advantage makes Bama at least a TD favorite if both teams were equal in strength. You're a dumb arse "homer" to not accept that - and yes, most teams have up and down years - accept it for what it is and stop with the BS mental masturbation exercise.