Five games into the 2020 LSU football schedule and the purple and gold's quest to avoid there first losing season since 1999 will only become more difficult each passing week.
Let's just take a look at the Tigers' remaining schedule:
vs No. 2 Alabama (11/14)
at Arkansas (11/21)
at No. 7 Texas A&M (11/28)
vs Ole Miss (12/5)
at No. 8 Florida (12/12)
According to ESPN's FPI (Football Power Index), that's the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the SEC and No. 7 remaining strength of schedule in the nation. The harsh reality is, the Tigers have faced the "easy" part of their schedule. According to ESPN's SP+ model, LSU has just a 20% chance to get to 5-5 this season with the five opponents left on the schedule.
The remaining five opponents are a combined 17-8, with three teams currently ranked in the top 10 and the other two each providing their own set of potential problems for LSU. Of the remaining five games, LSU faces potentially four players who are considered in the Heisman race in Alabama's Mac Jones, Devonta Smith and Najee Harris as well as Florida's Kyle Trask.
Sitting at 2-3, there's a legitimate question as to whether LSU will be favored in any of its remaining games considering the issues that face the program in the coming weeks. The challenges that lie ahead are plentiful and something coach Ed Orgeron summed up in his Monday press conference ahead of the bye week.
"When adversity hits, we've gotta keep on fighting," Orgeron said. "That's been a mark of our team since I've been here and it's something I'm going to address. Fighting throughout the game, staying enthusiastic throughout the team. But there's a lot of young guys on this team that I have to teach that to, they don't know that yet."
Much of any success this team can have will be dictated on the health of quarterback Myles Brennan. The Tigers received a great performance from freshman TJ Finley against South Carolina but he and Max Johnson both had their struggles against Auburn.
Navigating through the toughest remaining SEC schedule, you want your experienced veteran behind center to give you as good a chance as possible to keep up with the Crimson Tide, Aggies and Gators down the road. Orgeron was still unsure if Brennan will be ready for the Nov. 14 game against Alabama but the next two weeks would put him at the four week mark since sustaining the lower body injury that typically takes a 4-6 week recovery time.
"It's day by day and I don't know if he's gonna be ready for the Alabama game," Orgeron said. "I think we're gonna know more next week and we're gonna try and let him do a few things today and see how he can do."
LSU is back to square one after another disappointing showing. If it hopes to somewhat salvage its season, the open week is of vital importance to start getting the ample problems corrected.
"difficult" - Google News
November 04, 2020 at 01:45AM
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LSU Football's Remaining Schedule Among the Most Difficult in the NCAA - Sports Illustrated
"difficult" - Google News
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