The way some LSU football fans are speaking this week, you’d think the season was over.
These fans could make you believe LSU’s last three games of 2015 are pointless, and the Tigers have no hope of making it into the College Football Playoff.
LSU must bounce back quickly against the University of Arkansas because it still has everything to play for. The Tigers need to win out, and they need a little help.
But much stranger things have happened.
People seem to quickly forget that mayhem reigns supreme in November. Forget March Madness — the last few weeks of college football are always completely unpredictable.
Let’s take a look at last year’s national champion, Ohio State University. The Buckeyes were 14th in the College Football Playoff rankings at this point last season.
LSU is ranked ninth, so don’t count out the Tigers just yet.
“But Ohio State was conference champion. Right now LSU isn’t even headed to the Southeastern Conference Championship Game, Jack.”
Correct, but this is where the college football chaos theory takes over.
The University of Alabama is headed to Starkville, Mississippi, this weekend. The Crimson Tide is coming off an emotional win and is playing in a hostile, cowbell-filled environment.
Mississippi State senior quarterback Dak Prescott is starting to play at his best, and the Bulldogs’ offense is equipped to give the Tide a tough time. LSU could be back in the driver’s seat in the SEC West this weekend.
Even if Alabama wins the SEC West, LSU still could get into the College Football Playoff.
So many highly ranked programs still have to play against each other, meaning the Tigers could walk through the field of fallen teams right back into the playoff picture
Clemson University is more than capable of Clemsoning. Ohio State University still has games against the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.
University of Notre Dame and Stanford University still haven’t met yet, meaning one of those two teams will fall by the wayside when their paths finally cross. The University of Iowa is still unbeaten, but they’ll get their test in the Big Ten title game.
Meanwhile, it seems like the Big 12 saved all of the games with massive implications for the last few weeks of the season. The fates of Baylor University, Oklahoma State University, the University of Oklahoma and Texas Christian University are all intertwined, and it’s going to get messy.
LSU might not control its own destiny at the moment, but the Tigers are not in a bad spot. If LSU takes care of business, it’s going to get some help. I can’t say it’ll be enough to get a spot in the playoff, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
It’s important for LSU to come out motivated this weekend. The Razorbacks seem to be gaining momentum, while the Tigers just had theirs halted.
It seems like LSU normally finds itself the favorite in the Battle for the Golden Boot, but Arkansas always seems to make it close a game and has a real knack for the upset. Expect Arkansas to make it a close game again on Saturday.
If LSU can find a way to shake off the loss and pick up wins, the Tigers will find themselves back in the picture sooner than they may expect.
Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.