College Football: LSU Tigers 2020 Schedule Analysis
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
The quest is on in Baton Rouge to replicate some semblance of the title grabbing 2019 squad that steamrolled college football during a perfect season. A year ago, the LSU Tigers (15-0) knocked off seven top-10 ranked squads, took down archnemesis Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and shredded defending national champs Clemson (42-25) in the big game. Without record-setting quarterback Joe Burrow, the Tigers will need a little help from the schedule just to navigate the usual brutal Southeastern Conference schedule.
As LSU picked apart teams in 2019, parts of the schedule worked in their favor albeit was still challenging. Two of the four regular season games against highly ranked teams were on the road (Texas and Alabama) and two of the games were in back-to-back matchups (Auburn and Alabama). After kicking an eight-game losing streak to the Crimson Tide in early November, LSU was able to coast through their final three regular season games before facing Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
If all the adjustments made in the offseason between setting up the new roster, adding Bo Pelini as the new defensive coordinator, and situating new passing game coordinator Scott Linehan come together as planned, LSU may have an easier go to the postseason in 2020 taking on an SEC West slate full of teams influx.
LSU Tigers 2020 Schedule
Bye – Oct. 31
Week 1 – Sept. 5 vs. UTSA (Baton Rouge)
Larry Coker posted back-to-back successful season with the Roadrunners during their first two Division I seasons (2012-13), but UTSA has been on a slide ever since struggling to be a .500 team in Conference USA. UTSA found a replacement for head coach Frank Wilson after a 4-8 run in 2019. Two former Arkansas assistants have taken over in San Antonio, Jeff Traylor (head coach) and Barry Lunney Jr. (OC). Can that make a difference in Year 1?
Week 2 – Sept. 12 vs. Texas (Baton Rouge)
The Longhorns pushed the Tigers to the brink in a 45-38 thriller in Texas Memorial Stadium a year ago, but then started the slow spiral to an 8-5 campaign. Texas closed last season with a 3-3 record, but optimism ahead hangs on wins against Texas Tech and then-No. 11 Utah to end the schedule and 16 starters back; seven on offense and nine on defense. Having quarterback Sam Ehlinger back will keep Texas in games, how he connects with new offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich will dictate the flow early in the season. The Longhorns are slotted No. 16 in Athlon Sports’ preseason rankings giving opportunity for another feather in the cap win for LSU.
Week 3 – Sept. 19 vs. Rice (Houston, Tx) – NRG Stadium
The Owls enter the 2020 schedule seeking their first winning season since an 8-5 run in 2014. The nine-win total over the past four seasons will not scare the Tigers in Houston.
Week 4 – Sept. 26 vs. Ole Miss (Baton Rouge)
After former head coach Hugh Freeze gave Ole Miss fans a taste of winning at a high level, Matt Luke could not replicate the success while under NCAA sanctions. Luke’s 4-8 season was enough to give reason to part ways opening up an opportunity for the debatable Lane Kiffin. Kiffin is riding success off an 11- and 10-win season in Conference USA with Florida Atlantic after failing at USC (2010-13). The Rebels’ season could be in shambles at this meeting having already played Baylor and Auburn with Alabama heading to Oxford after their trip to Baton Rouge.
Week 5 – Oct. 3 vs. Nicholls (Baton Rouge)
The Colonels were a high-achieving team in 2019 posting a 9-5 season with a two-game run in the FCS playoffs. Nicholls can build off their end of season No. 14 ranking, but are no match top to bottom talent wise with LSU.
Week 6 – Oct. 10 at Florida (Gainesville)
In theory, this will be LSU’s toughest test to date in the 2020 season after what has a feel of five consecutive home games. The Gators are the preseason No. 6 ranked team after the momentum head coach Dan Mullen has built in Gainesville. Mullen has tallied 21 wins in his first two seasons with the Gators and has gunslinger Kyle Trask back to lead the offense. Florida will be battle-hardened at this point with games played against Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
Week 7 – Oct. 17 at Arkansas (Fayetteville)
If there was a team that truly needed the spring practice sessions it was Arkansas. The Hogs have not won a conference game over the past two seasons hoping new head coach Sam Pittman, Georgia’s former offensive line coach, can bring the winning ways back to Fayetteville. Pittman has names at the coordinator positions in Kendal Briles (OC) and Barry Odom (DC), but is there enough talent and depth on the roster to make significant strides in Year 1?
Week 8 – Oct. 24 vs. Mississippi State (Baton Rouge)
After a two-game road stint, LSU returns home to face what could be a challenging offense under new head coach Mike Leech. Leach has churned out winning programs at Texas Tech and Washington State, and is expected to do the same in Starkville. The big question, how will his take on the Air Raid offense fair against SEC defenses on a weekly basis? LSU may catch a break here seeing the Bulldogs after a road game to Bryant Denny Stadium.
Week 9 – Bye
Week 10 – Nov. 7 vs. Alabama (Baton Rouge)
The No. 2 ranked Crimson Tide is coming off their first two-loss season in five years and must replace record setting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The offense will be in the capable hands of Mac Jones and has four starters back on the offensive line. But there are still a lot of holes on the roster on the other side of the ball that will be pushed into the fire against a challenging schedule that was to include a neutral site game against USC, now Georgia State, and Georgia at home, and back-to-back road games against Tennessee and LSU before seeing Texas A&M and Auburn at home.
Week 11 – Nov. 14 vs. South Carolina (Baton Rouge)
Kudos to the powers that be in South Carolina keeping head coach Will Muschamp after a disappointing 4-8 season in 2019. The proverbial burner may be on Muschamp’s seat with the fans, but this is a team that should bounce back to a bowl berth in 2020. This late in the season, the Gamecocks will be well-seasoned. LSU may catch another break welcoming South Carolina after what should be a hard-fought contest against Georgia the week prior.
Week 12 – Nov. 21 at Auburn (Auburn)
LSU’s road to success up to this point has been nicely laid out with a forgiving schedule. The second biggest road game of the 2020 season lands at No. 13 Auburn. Despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the nation last season, Auburn still had the look of a team that could have done more than their 9-4 season showed. Losing 31-24 to Minnesota in the Outback Bowl did not put decorative sprinkles on the season. These Tigers may be a top-15 team preseason, but the defense will be a shell of its former self in 2020. Can the offense led by sophomore quarterback Bo Nix carry the load?
Week 13 – Nov. 28 at Texas A&M (College Station)
If injuries do not plague the No. 11 ranked Aggies, this may be the team LSU needs to beat to win the SEC West. College football fans may scoff looking at head coach Jimbo Fisher’s 8-5 run in 2019, but all five defeats came at the hands of teams in the top-8 and three of those were on the road. Fisher has a balanced roster returning and three-year starter Kellen Mond at the helm guiding the offense. Again, LSU may catch a break depending on how the tumbling dice roll. The Aggies play host to LSU after a road trip to Tuscaloosa.
Photo credit: The Spun; LSU hoisting the 2019 Championship Trophy