Sporting News predicts if LSU football will reach College Football Playoff

Sporting News recently predicted whether or not LSU football will reach the College Football Playoff.

LSU football cruised to the College Football Playoff in 2019, finishing the season with a 15-0 record and a national championship banner.

The Tigers, however, lost 14 players from their championship squad to the NFL (plus several others who were undrafted free agents).

That’s a lot of talent to replace. As a result, some publications aren’t very high on LSU in 2020.

CBS Sports, for example, is expecting the Tigers to finish third in the SEC West.

Sporting News is a bit more optimistic when it comes to LSU. In their recent bowl predictions, Sporting News has the Tigers reaching the Peach Bowl in 2020 (against Notre Dame).

This would be the second consecutive year LSU has played in the Peach Bowl, though it’s not part of the College Football Playoff in 2020.

Sporting News has Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma reaching the playoff.

Fair prediction for LSU football?

I think this is one of the most fair predictions for LSU that I’ve seen so far. It puts them right on the brink of the College Football Playoff.

There’s no doubt the Tigers won’t be as strong in 2020. Replacing Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Grant Delpit, Kristian Fulton and the other LSU players off to the NFL won’t be easy.

But the Tigers still have plenty of talent. In fact, I feel confident saying they have College Football Playoff caliber talent. I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see LSU back in the final four in 2020.

Clemson and Ohio State are obviously the frontrunners, because they have the two best returning quarterbacks in the nation in Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, respectively.

However, beyond those two programs, it’s anyone’s guess as to who gets in the playoff.

Alabama and Oklahoma are also replacing stud quarterbacks, so it’s hard for me to suggest that either of those programs have a better shot than LSU (Georgia will also likely be in the mix).

It should be a fun, competitive season. If LSU is able to reach the playoff for a second straight season, I think we’ll start to see Ed Orgeron sharing equal spotlight with Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney.