BCS Rankings: Why the No. 1 LSU Tigers Are Underrated

It's not often that you can point to the No. 1 team in the country and say they are underrated, but in an odd sort of way the LSU Tigers seem to be that. If you listen to the national media just about everyone can beat them, even the teams that haven't. 

Before losing to Iowa State, it was delivered almost as a fact that the tandem of Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon would expose the LSU defense as being just pretenders. That was before a far inferior defense exposed Oklahoma State. 

It was argued that the Oregon Ducks had improved to the point that now they were better than LSU. What happened in Week 1 should stay in Week 1 they argued. Since then Oregon had gotten better and now they would beat LSU. Apparently they just got better because they were playing inferior defenses. USC proved that. 

Oklahoma would beat them on a neutral field. I know this for a fact because I heard Skip Bayless state it as such over and over again. Apparently they can't beat Baylor or Texas, though. 

Alabama, it was argued for weeks, would put a clamp on the Tigers undefeated run. Yet the Tigers going into Tuscaloosa and securing the win has done nothing to convince people that they would win in New Orleans. "Luck" they cry, and they aren't referring to Andrew. 

Now it's Arkansas. In fact, some people are clinging to the delusion that Arkansas has to make sure they don't blow out LSU too badly so as to not create a tie-break scenario with just them and Alabama. 

Yeah, right. That's something Arkansas needs to be worried about. 

So, just a little refresher course. 

LSU is undefeated. LSU has won their games by a average score of 37.9 to 10. That 27.9 margin is the widest of any team in the nation. They are the 13th highest scoring team in the country and have given up the second fewest points. 

You get the picture? They didn't accidentally get to where they are are. And they haven't done it against scrubs either. 

LSU is good, very good even. In fact, should they go on and win their last three games, they would set a NCAA record for wins against ranked teams with nine. Now before you respond just stop and think about that number for a minute.

When a team goes 9-0 against ranked opponents, there simply is no "Yeah, but..." 

In fact, the most regular season wins against ranked teams in the BCS era was five by the 2000 Oklahoma Sooners. LSU already has six this year. A win over Arkansas would give them seven.  

The most wins, bowls included, over a top three team in the BCS era is three, shared by the 2008 Gators and the 2000 Sooners. With a win over the Razorbacks this week, LSU would tie that. A win the National Championship Game would give them the record outright. 

When it comes to quality wins, only two teams in the BCS era are even in the conversation with LSU and they might be on their way out. Both of those teams won the National Championship Game. Maybe it's time to stop figuring everyone could beat them and start wondering if anyone could.

LSU might not just be the best team this year. They very well might be the best team in the BCS era.