LSU's sudden collapse

Pat and Pete discuss LSU's sudden collapse this season after their magical run to the title last year.

Video Transcript

PAT FORDE: Last year, the line Arkansas at LSU was 42. And this year, we might say Arkansas should be favored. I mean, it's crazy. Crazy. I mean, to see a defending champion just plummet like this.

Here's a couple defensive stats for you. This is how bad it is right now for Bo Pelini, who's getting $2.3 million as their coordinator. Missouri in games that were not against LSU was averaging 15 and 1/2 points and 330 yards. Missouri against LSU, 45 points, 586 yards. Mississippi State in games not against LSU, 8 points a game, 358 yards. Mississippi State against LSU, 44 points, 632 yards.

PETE THAMEL: I think it gives you an appreciation of how difficult it is to do what Saban does every year, to send off the eight, nine guys to the NFL and plug and play. And really the staff turnover. Dave Aranda was probably the most underappreciated assistant on that staff.

Joe Brady was a genius. He went off. He's doing just fine with Matt Rhule in Carolina now. But Dave Aranda, even before he got to LSU, remember he was considered one of the five best coordinators in college football.

PAT FORDE: Yeah.

PETE THAMEL: So I think Aranda really managed that unit. And again, Orgeron was always not the easiest guy in the world to work for. Now when he started winning, he had changed and everything went. But I'd like to see what that facility looks like today. Do you think Ed Orgeron is the guy from "60 Minutes," the guy they're writing books about?

I would think it's Ed Orgeron scrambling and fighting for his job and his livelihood right now. Because remember, he was the fallback hire to Tom Herman. They had Joe Alleva, who was sort of the incompetent AD who was kind of this bungling boob who was mocked in SEC circles, who basically they didn't trust to hire a real coach. And all the politics and all the nonsense around LSU is crazy.

And mind you, it's a good time to remind you that the LSU football program is tied into the basketball scandal that's unfolding right now in that they have the Our Lady of the Lake Hospital guy paying off players. And as of right now, Pat-- correct me if I'm wrong-- those are under the same umbrella of an NCAA investigation. So if you want to see this brilliant, once a generation dominant season fall apart, well, you have the on-field fall apart. And then you have an off-field time bomb ticking unless that gets separated, which they want it to.

So I really think it's an interesting time for LSU. And for as much praise and as much sort of prose was thrown at Ed O's mom and all the Cajun stuff, that's all great. He is right now a failing coach in the SEC, and there is on the horizon imminently more failing coming.