LSU football will enter the 2020 season in an unusual position

LSU football won’t be the favorites to win the national championship again in 2020.

It’s understandable why LSU football won’t be the favorites to repeat as national champions in 2020.

The Tigers lost a ridiculous amount of talent from their 2019 team. There’s simply no way to replace Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, Grant Delpit, Lloyd Cushenberry, etc.

As a result of those losses, LSU is ranked No. 12 in ESPN’s recent FPI rankings.

But those rankings, of course, don’t matter in the slightest. That’s simply how the Tigers are perceived entering the 2020 season — it has no actual bearing on how LSU will play.

If anything, the rankings are actually good for the Tigers.

It’s hard to imagine the defending national champs playing with a chip on their shoulder, but that’s exactly what I expect from LSU in 2020.

The Tigers will be eager to prove that 2019 wasn’t a fluke. They don’t want to be hit with the one-hit wonder label like the 2010 Auburn Tigers.

And being ranked outside the top 10 — despite being the kings of the sport — will only fuel LSU’s desire to prove everyone wrong in 2020.

Ed Orgeron made it clear on Tuesday that his team is “hungry” and “eager to prove themselves”.

I don’t think LSU is going 15-0 again next season and averaging 50 points a game. But I don’t think they’re going to be a team that’s sitting outside the top 10, either.

The Tigers have talent. They have returning players that are among the best in the country (Ja’Marr Chase is absolutely the best wide receiver in the nation) and they have elite talent waiting to step up and make an impact.

It’s feels silly that we have to say this, but LSU, despite being the reigning national champions, are going to surprise some folks next season. It’s a strange situation to be in, but that’s how it goes in college football.