College Football Prediction: LSU's Championship Hopes Very Much Alive

Preseason predictions and polls are rolling in and the Southeastern Conference is being mentioned as contenders for the BCS title in 2010.

LSU is not in these conversations and with the way they finished the 2009 season, who can blame writers for excluding the Tigers? 

Is LSU really such a long-shot to contend for the BCS Title in 2010? 

I don’t think so. 

The Tigers, always loaded with talent, can absolutely contend for an SEC and BCS Title in 2010.  

Looking back at a dismal 2009 season, LSU’s worst season of the decade, the Tigers lost 3 games on their way to a disappointing Capital One Bowl loss to Penn State. 

As bad as the Tigers seemed in 2009, looking at the losses, and more importantly the reasons for the losses, the Tigers were not that far away from contending for the SEC Championship last season. 

It all started with the 13-3 loss to Florida in Baton Rouge in which bad officiating gave the Gators at least a 10 point advantage. 

Florida’s first scoring drive, resulting in a 28 yard field goal, was fueled by the Gators’ offensive line moving on more than half of their offensive plays and drawing defensive off-sides penalties three times to keep the chains moving. 

LSU tied the game 3-3 before the Gators scored a touchdown with 0:50 remaining in the half on a Tim Tebow to Riley Cooper pass in which Cooper blatantly threw his defender to the ground with no penalty, creating separation for an easy lob to the endzone . 

After Les Miles and John Chavis finally pointed out the Florida offensive line movement to the officials in the second half, a hard fought, fairly officiated football game ensued and the Gators went on the win 13-3.

Aside from the 10 points the Gators received from bad officiating, the game was tied at three points each, proving that LSU was as talented as the highly praised Florida Gators, just perhaps out coached. 

LSU’s next defeat came at the hands of Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide, again largely due to a bad call by the officials. 

Down by six with six minutes to play, LSU’s Patrick Peterson clearly intercepted a Greg McElroy pass on the sideline. 

One official signaled an interception before being overruled by a second official who said that Peterson did not have possession of the ball in bounds. 

Video evidence clearly showed the call to be incorrect, yet the replay official, watching a standard definition monitor, confirmed the call on the field. 

Bama went on to kick a field goal and win the game by nine. 

Again, LSU proved that they were as good as the team that eventually went on to win the BCS Title. 

Finally, bad clock management and coaching cost LSU a game against Ole Miss.  

After a timeout with 10 seconds remaining, LSU’s coaches sent freshmen QB Jordan Jefferson back onto the field with only one play.

When he completed a long pass that temporarily stopped the clock while the chains were moved, LSU coaches, including Head Coach Les Miles, signaled to Jefferson to spike the ball with 0:01 left but the clock expired as he did so. 

Had Miles sent in a second play, Jefferson could have run a play from the eight yard line and given the Tigers a chance to win the game. 

Going into 2010, the Tigers are a better team. 

Logic would say that if the Tigers were as good as the National Champions and arguably better than the SEC runner-up in 2009, then an improved team would definitely have at least a chance to contend for a title.

However, the last thing anyone saw from LSU was a disappointing loss to Penn State, so they are a forgotten team in the National Championship picture. 

But don’t worry Tiger fans. 

A well aligned schedule makes LSU’s championship hopes in 2010 a realistic possibility, but they will have to win some key non-conference games to make them a reality.

 LSU must win the non-conference games against North Carolina in the Georgia Dome and West Virginia in Tiger Stadium.

If they win these games, they should earn their way back into the national top 10 going into week five against Tennessee.

As is the case this season, LSU will need to lose no more than one game in conference to secure a spot in the SEC Championship. Two key conference games will be Florida and Alabama.

Florida plays Alabama the week prior to the matchup with the Tigers, which should play into LSU’s favor as the Gators are sure to be worn down from the tough matchup .

The Alabama game will be more challenging and a true test of the two teams’ talents as both teams are coming off a bye week.

The teams should both be well rested and prepared with the only real advantage being in LSU’s favor as the game is in Tiger Stadium. 

It won’t be easy, but then again, winning in the SEC never is.  But it’s not impossible either. 

LSU has a legitimate shot of competing for an SEC title in 2010, and a win in the SEC Championship almost certainly means a spot in the BCS Title game. 

Get excited Tiger fans.  Regardless of preseason rankings and hype, you have a lot of potential and possibilities in 2010.