LSU Tigers 2021 Game-by-game predictions from Athlon Sports
Count it down, we have just over a week remaining until the LSU Tigers kick off the 2021 season against the UCLA Bruins. This is the first time that the Tigers have faced off against the Bruins but not the first time for head coach Ed Orgeron.
In 2013 as the interim head coach of the USC Trojans, Orgeron lost that match up 35-14. This game will be a good early-season test for the Bayou Bengals to gauge exactly where they are ahead of the home opener against McNeese State on Sept. 11.
What should we expect from the Tigers this season?
Athlon Sports’ analysts Steven Lassan, Mark Ross, and Juan Jose Rodriquez each gave it a shot at predicting the Tigers’ 2021 season. Here is how they compared to our game-by-game breakdowns:
Sept. 4: at UCLA Bruins
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs UCLA
Series History: First-ever meeting, Orgeron 0-1 vs UCLA
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU |
Record Tally | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
Sept. 11: vs McNeese State Cowboys
Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs McNeese State
Series History: Won 32-10 in 2010, LSU leads 1-0
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU |
Record Tally | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2-0 |
Sept. 18: vs Central Michigan Chippewas
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Central Michigan
Series History: First-ever meeting
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU |
Record Tally | 3-0 | 3-0 | 3-0 | 3-0 |
Sept. 25: at Mississippi State Bulldogs
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Mississippi State
Series History: Lost 44-34 in 2020, LSU leads 75-36-3
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU |
Record Tally | 4-0 | 4-0 | 4-0 | 4-0 |
Oct. 2: vs Auburn Tigers
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Auburn
Series History: Lost 48-11 in 2020, LSU leads 30-23-1
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | Auburn |
Record Tally | 5-0 | 5-0 | 5-0 | 4-1 |
Oct. 9: at Kentucky Wildcats
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Kentucky
Series History: Won 41-3 in 2014, LSU leads 39-16-1
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU |
Record Tally | 6-0 | 6-0 | 6-0 | 5-1 |
Oct. 16: vs Florida Gators
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Florida
Series History: Won 37-34 in 2020, LSU trails 33-31-3
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | Florida | Florida |
Record Tally | 7-0 | 7-0 | 6-1 | 5-2 |
Oct. 23: at Ole Miss Rebels
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Ole Miss
Series History: Won 53-48 in 2020, LSU leads 64-41-4
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | Ole Miss | LSU |
Record Tally | 7-1 | 7-1 | 6-2 | 6-2 |
Nov. 6: at Alabama Crimson Tide
Gary Cosby-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Alabama
Series History: Lost 55-17, LSU trails 54-26-5
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | Bama | Bama | Bama | Bama |
Record Tally | 7-2 | 7-2 | 6-3 | 6-3 |
Nov. 13: vs Arkansas Razorbacks
Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs Arkansas
Series History: Won 27-24, LSU leads 42-22-2
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU |
Record Tally | 8-2 | 8-2 | 7-3 | 7-3 |
Nov. 20: vs Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks
John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Game predictions for LSU vs ULM
Series History: Won 31-0 in 2014, LSU leads 3-0
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | LSU | LSU | LSU |
Record Tally | 9-2 | 9-2 | 8-3 | 8-3 |
Nov. 27: vs Texas A&M Aggies
(Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Game predictions for LSU vs Texas A&M
Series History: Lost 20-7 in 2020, LSU leads 34-22-3
Predictor | LSU Wire | Lassan | Ross | Rodriguez |
Prediction | LSU | A&M | LSU | A&M |
Record Tally | 10-2 | 9-3 | 9-3 | 8-4 |
What Steven Lassan Says
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
While the offense wasn't exactly the main issue from last season, the team brought in Jake Peetz and DJ Mangas from the Carolina Panthers to run Joe Brady's offense. The system could put quarterback Max Johnson and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte into the upper echelon conversation in 2021.
LSU is the hardest team to figure out in the SEC for 2021. Talent certainly isn’t an issue in Baton Rouge, but the Tigers – thanks to a combination of bad assistant hires, roster question marks and injuries in spots – slumped to 5-5 after winning the national title in ’19. Coach Ed Orgeron used the offseason for a major overhaul of the staff, and the hires of Jake Peetz (offensive play-caller) and Daronte Jones (defense) seem to be a step in the right direction. But how far can this team mesh with the new assistants in one offseason? Quarterback Max Johnson and receiver Kayshon Boutte are breakout candidates, but the offensive line and rushing attack remain a concern
What Mark Ross says
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Daronte Jones comes in as the new coordinator to replace Bo Pelini to run the defense. Under Pelini, the Tigers gave up more points per game than they have in 50+ years. That is a level of incompetence that wasn't going to be tolerated. With Jones calling the shots, expect Derek Stingley and Eli Ricks' game to rise.
LSU is another hard team to get a handle on not only because of last season's up-and-down, at times mystifying, 5-5 campaign, but also the fact that quarterback Myles Brennan is out indefinitely with an arm injury. Max Johnson showed glimpses when given the opportunity to play in 2020 but the Tigers' plan was to start Brennan. There's also the matter of what kind of defense LSU will play with a new coordinator after such a poor performance last season. Once again, talent will not be an issue for Ed Orgeron and there's no doubt the 16 returning starters haven't forgotten what happened in 2020
What Juan Jose Rodriguez says
(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
As we pointed out previously, the Tigers defense is going to have a lot of eyes on them this season. Especially after giving up 600+ yards in the season opener a season ago. Ali Gaye, Andre Anthony, and BJ Ojulari are ready to put more pressure on opposing offenses and hopefully create more opportunities for the offense through turnovers and short fields.
Starting off the season on the road against UCLA should be a healthy barometer of whether LSU can rebound from its 5-5 season in 2020. All four of the Bruins’ losses last season came by six or fewer points, and a UCLA offense that averaged more than 35 points per game in 2020 ought to show whether or not the Tigers have patched up some of their holes defensively. While this year’s LSU team may not climb all the way back to its 2019 national championship success, it should present a return back to the Tigers’ customary spot among the SEC’s premier programs with some opportunities to make a resounding statement in the second half of the season.
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