LSU Football: 10 Reasons Why the Tigers Should Be Ranked No. 1

We are now two weeks into the college football season and looking forward to another exciting week.

The LSU Tigers opened the year with a huge victory over Oregon, and after taking care of business against Northwestern State on Saturday, the Tigers are ranked No. 3 in both the AP and USA Today Polls.

With LSU sporting a perfect 2-0 record and having won the biggest game in college football up to this point, we can't help but to wonder, why the Tigers are not ranked No. 1 in the country?

Let's break this down and come up with 10 reasons why LSU should be ranked No. 1 in the polls heading into the third week of the college football season.

10. Winning Streak

LSU closed out the 2010 season with a dominant 41-24 win over Texas A&M in the AT&T Cotton Bowl on Jan. 7.

Heading into the season, if preseason ranks are truly based on how you finished the previous year and what you return, then it's hard to find a team that closed out the year as well as the Tigers did with so much returning this season.

The Tigers have won their past three games dating back to last year, and six of their last seven, with the only loss coming last year on Nov. 27 to Arkansas, who made a BCS Bowl.

The streak should only continue to grow.

9. Outstanding Rushing Attack

Heading into this season, many believed that Oregon would feature the top rushing duo in college football with LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner.

But in LSU's 40-27 win over Oregon, the Tigers' duo of Spencer Ware and Michael Ford combined for 195 yards on the ground, compared to James and Barners' 61 combined yards.

The story was much the same in LSU's victory over Northwestern State.

In fact, in two games thus far, Ware and Ford have combined to rush for 286 yards and seven touchdowns. Keep in mind, both of them did not play much in the second half of last week because the Tigers' were winning by such a large margin.

8. Returning Starters

We said it before and we'll say it again: If returning starters make such a huge difference in a teams' preseason ranking, then why isn't LSU No. 1?

The Tigers have eight starters on offense returning and seven starters on defense from last year's 12-2 team.

Oklahoma, who is ranked No. 1 in the polls, return the same amount of starters, and Alabama, who is ranked No. 2 in the polls, return less starters on offense, including their top quarterback, running back, wide receiver and offensive tackle from a year ago.

12-2 record and 15 returning starters...sounds like the makings of  No. 1 team to me.

7. What Has Oklahoma Done?

We mentioned earlier that Oklahoma returned the majority of last year's team, but the Sooners had the same record as LSU last year, and a far less impressive bowl victory to close out the season.

This year, the Sooners are 1-0, but their only victory came against a weak Tulsa team that lost to the likes of SMU and East Carolina last season.

Oklahoma's body of work just doesn't seem to add up, especially compared to what LSU has accomplished thus far.

6. Dominant Defense

We all buy into the old saying of "defense wins championships," right?

Well if that's the case, then how can LSU not be considered the No.1 team in the country after two weeks into the college football season?

The Tigers' held the Oregon Ducks, which many consider to be the most explosive offense in college football, to just 27 points, while also forcing four turnovers in the win.

LSU held Northwestern State to just three points and under 100 yards of total offense.

Can you say D-O-M-I-N-A-N-T.

5. Convincing Wins

The Tigers are ranked No. 3 in the polls, but they are 2-0 with two convincing wins heading into another weekend of the college football season.

Oklahoma, ranked No. 1, has one win, which was convincing, but came against a weak opponent.

Alabama, ranked No. 2, has two two wins, but one came against a weak Kent State team, and the other came against a Penn State team that is nowhere near as talented as their preseason No. 25 ranking indicated. 

LSU has by far the most impressive win against Oregon, and it was by double digits.

4. Done Whats Expected

In order to be the top ranked team in the country you should be undefeated and have at least one win to your resume that looks impressive.

Oklahoma can not say that, while LSU can.

The Tigers won both of their games in dominant fashion. 

They've done what has been expected of them and should continue to do so.

3. Strength of Schedule

Every team worthy of being the top ranked team in the country at this point has played at least one "cupcake" game.

The Tigers' played their "cupcake" game last week, but they still have the top strength of schedule because they played the No. 3 team in the country to open the season.

You can't be the best unless you beat the best—which LSU did—Oklahoma and Alabama have not.

2. Look at the Numbers

Oklahoma has only played one game up to this point, but they had an offensive explosion in a victory over Tulsa, putting up over 600 yards.

But on the other end, the Sooners' defense looked far from impressive, allowing 400 yards to an average Tulsa team.

Alabama's defense has played exceptional in victories over Kent State and Penn State, but the Tides' offense has looked far from spectacular. The running game has been solid, but the quarterback position is still a question mark going forward.

LSU has been dominant and posted big numbers on both sides of the ball.

1. Biggest Win in the Country

The bottom line here is that LSU has the biggest victory in the country this season.

The Tigers' were ranked No. 4 heading into this season, and they not only beat No. 3-ranked Oregon, they dominated.

Oklahoma has one win against a weak team and Alabama has a win against a weak team and a win against an average team.

In order to be the best, you have to beat the best....That's exactly what LSU did.