247Sports could regret bold LSU football prediction

247Sports didn’t hold back when discussing LSU football in 2020.

Can LSU football repeat as SEC champions in 2020, despite losing 14 players to the NFL Draft?

That’s the big question surrounding the Tigers this offseason.

Predictions, so far, have been all over the place.

CBS Sports has LSU finishing 9-3. Sporting News, on the other hand, has the Tigers reaching the Peach Bowl (which would probably mean LSU finishes in the top 10).

This week, 247Sports added their name to the list of predictions that’s been made for LSU.

And they didn’t mince words.

“There’s no way these Tigers repeat as SEC champions,” wrote 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello.

That’s a lofty statement considering there’s no clear front runner in the SEC.

Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Georgia, along with LSU, all have a legitimate shot to win the SEC in 2020. Considering it’s only June, and spring practice was cut short, I don’t feel comfortable ruling any of those teams out (and who knows, maybe someone like Texas A&M or Tennessee takes a major step forward in 2020 and shocks some folks…..anything can happen in college football).

Why 247Sports doesn’t believe in LSU football

Marcello suggests that LSU’s matchups against Alabama, Auburn, and Florida should be chalked up as losses.

I don’t think that’s fair at all.

While I’m not expecting the Tigers to sweep those teams like they did last season, I don’t see them going 0-for-3 either.

Marcello thinks the addition of defensive coordinator Bo Pelini and the switch to a 4-3 defense could cause some issues for the Tigers early in the season.

Again, not fair.

Pelini is trying to make the switch a 4-3 defense as seamless as possible. He’s using a lot of the same terminology that Dave Aranda used in 2019. And Pelini still plans on using some three-man fronts as well.

On paper, it looks like a switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 is a big deal. But in reality, it won’t be nearly as dramatic as it sounds (I’m of the opinion that going from 3-4 to 4-3 is easier than going from 4-3 to 3-4, but I digress).

Then there’s the loss of talent to the NFL, which is obviously the biggest reason some analysts are down on the Tigers.

I can understand why folks are skeptical that LSU can continue their dominance. You can’t replace a guy like Joe Burrow.

But I think 247Sports and other analysts are penalizing LSU for not being as talented in 2020 as they were in 2019.

Despite the losses of Burrow and the other 13 players selected in the NFL Draft (plus the undrafted free agents), LSU is still one of the most talented teams in the SEC.

Ja’Marr Chase is the best wide receiver in the nation. And Derek Stingley Jr is the best defensive back in the nation. Those two players alone should make the Tigers a threat to win the SEC.

I have a feeling 247Sports and Marcello are going to regret saying there’s no way LSU repeats as SEC champions.

By now, we should all know that doubting Coach O and the Tigers isn’t a good idea.