LSU Football: What Ed Orgeron is concerned about in first game of season

LSU football will kick off the 2020 season on Saturday against Mississippi State.

LSU football‘s 2020 season will (finally) start this week when the Tigers host the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

After an offseason that was dominated by COVID-19, quarantine, and uncertainty, it’s nice to know that the season is about to start (hopefully…barring any last minute COVID-19 issues).

While it’s great that the season is about to start, it’s important to remember that this season will be unlike any season we’ve ever seen before.

For starters, the Tigers, along with the rest of the SEC, are only playing 10 regular-season games this year. And they’re all conference games.

Another way the season will look different is the crowds at games. And it’s the crowds — or lack of a crowd — that’s a concern to LSU head coach Ed Orgeron.

Will a lack of fans hurt LSU football?

Tiger Stadium will be allowed to have nearly 26,000 fans in attendance on Saturday when LSU kicks off the season against Mississippi State.

That’s more than most programs, but it will still create an odd atmosphere in Baton Rouge.

Instead of the sound of over 100,000 screaming fans, we’ll get a much less rowdy 26,000 fans. It’s going to be different. There will be less energy in the building. And that’s something Coach O is concerned about.

“I worry about the football team with not a lot of people in the stadium,” said Orgeron on Wednesday during the weekly SEC coaches’ teleconference (via Rivals). “I think we got to create our own energy and focus.”

College football coaches always talk about focusing on themselves and blocking out the outside noise.

But when that outside noise isn’t there?

It can create a much different vibe. It’s going to be a challenge for LSU to come out and perform with high energy without 100,000 fans.

But at least they’re not the only program in the nation facing the same challenge.