LSU Football: ESPN is finally optimistic about the Tigers in 2020

ESPN’s football power index is a fan of LSU football in 2020.

I’ve spent much of the offseason questioning the decision of several national outlets to not give LSU football the respect the program deserves in 2020.

The Tigers’ loss of talent from their 2019 national championship team (14 LSU players were selected in the 2020 NFL Draft) is the main reason Ed Orgeron’s squad has been questioned this offseason.

But with the start of the season just over a month away, it appears that ESPN’s football power index is becoming a believer in LSU.

Better late than never, right?

ESPN FPI’s prediction for LSU football in 2020.

ESPN’s football power index each year predicts every team’s chances of winning each game on their schedule.

The football power index obviously had to be updated this month after the new SEC schedule was revealed. Instead of playing 12 games in 2020 (with eight SEC opponents), LSU will be playing a ten-game conference only schedule. The Tigers had Missouri and Vanderbilt added to their schedule (Coach O called LSU’s schedule “favorable” earlier this week).

ESPN has LSU going 9-1 in their updated football power index predictions. 

The lone predicted loss for the Tigers is against Alabama. The football power index gives LSU a 42.4 percent chance of winning that matchup.

The other two toughest games on the Tigers’ schedule, according to the football power index, are against Florida (54.4 percent chance of winning) and Auburn (50.3 percent chance of winning).

Finishing 9-1 would obviously be a huge success for LSU in 2020 — especially with a new starting quarterback and new defensive coordinator.

The football power index is actually a bit more optimistic than my own predictions. I have LSU going 8-2 with losses to Florida and Auburn.

It’s not often I say this, but hopefully, ESPN is right and I’m wrong.