LSU Football: 247Sports’ latest bowl projection for the Tigers

LSU Football didn’t play in a bowl game in 2020 thanks to a one-year self-imposed bowl ban.

The Tigers, however, should be back in a bowl game in 2021 (assuming the program reaches six wins, which should be the case).

247Sports’ Brad Crawford recently made some early bowl projections and he has LSU visiting Atlanta in late December.

Crawford is predicting that Ed Orgeron’s squad will take on North Carolina in the Peach Bowl on December 30.

The Tigers previously played in the Peach Bowl in 2019 when it was part of the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Fair prediction for LSU football in 2021?

LSU is hoping to have a bounceback season in 2021 after finishing with a disappointing 5-5 record last season.

If the Tigers manage to reach the Peach Bowl this season, it would certainly constitute a bounceback season.

Last year, the Peach Bowl featured a matchup between No. 11 Georgia and No. 6 Cincinnati.

In 2018, the Peach Bowl matchup was between No. 10 Florida and No. 8 Michigan.

Essentially, if the Tigers play in the Peach Bowl, it will mean they’re a top 10 team (or really close to it).

After finishing 5-5 last season, and bringing in a mostly-new coaching staff, finishing as a top 10 team in 2021 would be coach of the year type stuff for Orgeron.

Coach O and his staff obviously have their sights set higher than the Peach Bowl. They want to win the SEC and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. And it’s certainly possible that LSU could do that.

But an appearance in the Peach Bowl would erase any questions that national analysts have about Orgeron’s ability to field an elite team on an annual basis.