LSU Football: Predicting Every Tigers Game of the 2011 Schedule
It’s early and things can and probably will change, but why not? Let’s predict the outcome of every game on the Tigers’ 2011 schedule.
The schedule is brutal, especially early but the Tigers are coming into the season with a lot of experienced players returning and should be up for the challenge.
With high hopes and expectations, the Tigers are looking at 2011 as a potential championship season.
To get to the BCS championship, it will be a long road that runs right through the SEC West—the toughest division in all of college football. But the championship teams don’t see that as an obstacle—just a challenge.
September 3 vs. Oregon
1 of 12
The Tigers travel back to the site of their last game of 2010, in which they completed dominated Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, as they take on the Oregon Ducks in Cowboy Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
A neutral-site game on national television, the Tigers and the Ducks will both come in ranked in the top five in the nation.
For one team, the championship run begins. For the other, the up-hill climb back into the championship hunt starts early.
This will be a very fast game as both teams have tons of speed and the game will be played on the fast turf of Cowboy Stadium.
Despite the deserved hype that this game will get, the Tigers will jump out early thanks to their defense and this game will be in their control.
Prediction: LSU 30, Oregon 13
September 10 vs. Northwestern State
2 of 12
This game is the one break that LSU has in September and should be a good opportunity to rest starters before two big games that finish out the month.
Tigers starters should not play more than two quarters and even some second-string players should be making an early exit.
Prediction: LSU 48, NSU 3
September 15 at Mississippi State
3 of 12
The Tigers have the unfortunate circumstance of playing a Thursday night game on only four days' rest, but fortunately their previous game is against Northwestern State in which they should have an opportunity to rest starters.
Mississippi State is an up-and-coming team that will be very dangerous this season.
The Tigers cannot take the Bulldogs lightly, especially in Starkville. That being said, the Tigers remain the better team and should take care of business.
Prediction: LSU 28, MSU 17
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September 24 at West Virginia
4 of 12
These two teams met in 2010 and despite zero offense from the Tigers, they came away with a 20-14 victory over the Mountaineers.
2011 will be a different story.
By Week 4, the Tigers will have their quarterback situation resolved and will be moving the ball.
The overall team speed of LSU will be too much for WVU and this game will not be nearly as close as last year’s.
Prediction: LSU 38, WVU 20
October 1 vs. Kentucky
5 of 12
After a brutal September, 4-0 LSU hosts the Kentucky Wildcats in a slight breather before another tough stretch in their schedule.
This game will not even be close and hopefully the Tigers jump out early enough to allow them to pull their starters shortly after halftime to rest them before taking on Florida.
Prediction: LSU 35, UK 7
October 8 vs. Florida
6 of 12
After a disappointing 2010 season, Florida has made many changes including the additions of head coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis.
This will be the most exciting and the closest game that the Tigers will have seen in 2011 and, as usual with these two teams, it will come down to the wire.
LSU narrowly escapes behind the home crowd.
Prediction: LSU 24, UF 23
October 15 at Tennessee
7 of 12
After a near loss to the Florida Gators, LSU travels to Knoxville to take on Tennessee.
LSU narrowly escaped Tennessee last season thanks to a controversial call that gave LSU an additional play on the goal line with no time on the clock.
The Tigers punched the ball in for the win and the Volunteers went home disappointed and frustrated, so they will surely come in this season looking for vengeance.
Unfortunately for Vols fans, it won’t be enough.
Prediction: LSU 27, TENN 13
October 22 vs. Auburn
8 of 12
Auburn loses a lot of players from its 2010 national championship team, but none more important than Cam Newton, who accounted for 51 touchdowns.
I know Auburn fans don’t want to believe that they will not bounce back but they just won’t have it in them this season.
Prediction: LSU 21, AUB 7
November 5 at Alabama
9 of 12
This is the game of the year for both teams, with the winner almost certainly winning the SEC West and possibly the BCS national championship.
'Bama will come in looking to redeem itself from last season in which LSU won a barn burner 24-21 in Baton Rouge.
That means this year the Tigers will be making the trip to Tuscaloosa to take on the Crimson Tide in what is sure to be a hostile environment.
This is likely to be the best game of the entire 2011 season, with the winner probably going on to beat Oklahoma pretty handily in the BCS championship game.
Prediction: LSU 28, BAMA 24
November 12 vs. Western Kentucky
10 of 12
After an emotional win over Alabama, the Tigers will get a well-deserved break as they come home to play Western Kentucky.
Homecoming for the Tigers will mean lots of playing time for the second and third strings, as the starters recover from midseason nagging injuries.
Prediction: LSU 42, WKU 0
November 19 at Ole Miss
11 of 12
It’s always hard (but still fun) to discount Ole Miss, but the truth of the matter is that the Rebels show up when you least expect them to.
This should be a walk in the park for the Tigers, especially coming off of what is basically a bye week.
Still, we all know that Ole Miss loves to play spoiler, and nothing makes the Rebels happier than beating the Tigers.
This year that won’t happen. The Tigers are too much for Ole Miss in 2011.
Prediction: LSU 33, Ole Miss 14
November 25 vs. Arkansas
12 of 12
LSU and Arkansas have given fans their money's worth the past four seasons, with two overtime games and two very close games.
The Razorbacks have been a thorn in the Tigers’ side for several years and will undoubtedly try to spoil LSU’s championship run in 2011.
The Tigers, behind a renewed offense and stellar defense, will take the 2011 matchup against the Razorbacks and the SEC West title.
Prediction: LSU 35, ARK 27
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