Where LSU is expected to land in the new AP Top 25 poll after huge win against Clemson in season opener
The LSU Tigers started the Lane Kiffin era in Baton Rouge with a blowout win over Clemson and Dabo Swinney.
LSU made a loud statement in Week 1 with their 51-10 blowout win over Clemson.
CBS Sports, though, is predicting that LSU will climb only three spots in the new AP Top 25 poll (which will be released on Tuesday afternoon).
LSU entered the week ranked at No. 11. CBS Sports predicts the Tigers will jump to only No. 8 in the new rankings.
That feels underwhelming for an LSU team that dominated from start to finish.
“There is enough juice behind LSU’s win to consider a move up closer to the top five, but our projection will go conservative with respect to the established group of contenders at the top,” wrote CBS Sports’ Chip Patterson. “The Tigers absolutely obliterated a Clemson team that was inside the top 30 in voting points in the preseason and had traditionally been a darling of the AP poll voters. There could be a few voters who get bold and even toss a first- or second-place vote to LSU, but most voters will start with a quick bump up inside the top 10.”
LSU had the best win in Week 1 and it’s not close
LSU’s win over Clemson was the most impressive result of the opening weekend. And considering all of the preseason rankings were based on predictions and expectations rather than on-field performance, you would think a 41-point rout of a program like Clemson would vault LSU into the top five.
CBS Sports, however, still has LSU below Oregon at No. 7 even though the Ducks nearly lost to Boise State. The other six teams ahead of LSU in the projected rankings are simply there on reputation. Nobody in college football did what LSU did in Week 1.
I think there’s a real argument that the Tigers should be ranked No. 1 after what they accomplished in Lane Kiffin’s debut against Clemson. That’s especially true when you consider all of the outside noise the team had to deal with going into the game. It was an impressive and complete performance, and it immediately showed that LSU is a legitimate national championship contender.
Yes, there’s a long way to go this season. But we can only judge what we’ve seen so far. And what we’ve seen so far is LSU looking like the best team in the country.
