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LSU Football: Three Bye Week Thoughts

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Anytime a team comes upon a bye week, it’s a dismal time for all of us. From a media perspective, we have fewer things to write about, and as fans an off week makes for a weekend that just feels kind of empty. Tiger Nation lives for LSU football, and anytime we don’t have it on a Saturday in the fall is difficult for everyone.

From a football perspective, it’s tough to see this team have to run up on a bye week right after building momentum with three consecutive wins. This LSU squad is one of the hottest in the country, so the argument could be made that having to take a week off is a negative thing for Ed Orgeron’s team. But, with the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide up next on the schedule, this extra time to prepare should end up being a positive.

With no game to preview this week, I want to take just a minute to discuss the bye week and the Tigers’ upcoming matchup. The rest of year for this LSU team is set up to be extremely interesting, and there’s a lot to talk about in regards to that. So, here are a few quick thoughts I’ve had this week regarding the Tigers.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

We Should Feel Confident Heading Into Alabama Week

After seeing what Nick Saban’s team did to the number six Texas A&M Aggies a week ago, I did not initially give LSU much of a chance to beat the Crimson Tide. Alabama is the clear-cut best team in all of college football, and quite frankly, they look like one of the best teams I have ever seen.

But as the week has progressed and I’ve heard the opinions of both people who are far smarter than me and buddies who are nothing but homers, I’ve begun to think that this is indeed a winnable game for the Tigers.

If I had to bet on it, I would still pick this Alabama team to win, but of all the opponents the Tide have played this season, LSU matches up the best. The Tigers have one of the best defenses in the conference, and have the players to effectively defend both the run and pass. The offense has improved significantly, and is no longer a weakness of this team.

LSU may not be favored over Alabama and they certainly aren’t the consensus pick to win the game, but the contest will be close and it will go down to the very last seconds. The Tigers will have a great shot to win this one on their home field, so have some confidence as we head into game week.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

This Game Decides Ed Orgeron’s Fate

Interim head coach Ed Orgeron has done a fantastic job with this team, as he has them sitting at 3-0 during his tenure. LSU is back in the national conversation and is very much in play for the conference championship, and that’s in large part due to Orgeron’s ability to make changes and jumpstart a program that looked lifeless.

He has managed to go from “no shot” to the betting favorite to win this LSU head coaching job, and he’s certainly done enough to deserve so. One thing stands between him and his dream job, and that’s Alabama. If he can upset the number one team in the nation next Saturday, I think he’s a lock to win the job. If not, we may have a coaching search to cover after all.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

LSU Will Not Have A Repeat Of Last Year’s Offensive Showing

When the LSU Tigers traveled to Tuscaloosa to take on the Crimson Tide a year ago, it was one of the biggest games of the year. Both schools were ranked among the top in the nation, and at the time, LSU looked unstoppable. Leonard Fournette was having one of the greatest seasons ever by a running back and looked destined for a Heisman Trophy.

But in that game the star tailback was completely ineffective, and the Tigers lost big. That has many wondering if we are in for a repeat performance.

The answer is unquestionably no. At this time last season, Les Miles and Cam Cameron were still in charge of this offense. They were still refusing to change their system and the team had no balance whatsoever. You are not going to beat the Alabama defense by handing it off every play, and Miles did not seem to realize that.

With Ed Orgeron in charge now, everything is different. This is an LSU team that is throwing the ball well and doing a fantastic job of mixing up their play calling and keeping defenses honest. The Tigers will not be as dominate on that side of the ball as they have in recent weeks, but they will certainly be better than they were a year ago.

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