Where LSU Football falls in final SEC power rankings

LSU football finished the 2021 season with a losing record (6-7).

It’s the Tigers’ first losing season since 1999 when the program went 3-8 under Gerry DiNardo.

LSU’s losing season in 2021 left the Tigers near the bottom of SEC power rankings.

247Sports’ final SEC power rankings for the season have LSU at No. 10.

Here’s what they had to say about the Tigers:

"Will Brian Kelly be able to fix what has happened at LSU? No program in college football has produced three national titles from three different coaches since 2000 like the Tigers, so that’s a good omen for their new coach. Give Ed Orgeron credit for keeping this team semi-together during the second half and beating Texas A&M in the finale to reach bowl eligibility."

Based on the results, this is a fair ranking. Though I think LSU was a better team than Mississippi State (the Bulldogs were at No. 9). Especially since the Tigers beat Mississippi State in 2021.

History suggests good things are on the horizon for LSU football

LSU’s losing season in 1999 ended up leading to great things.

Nick Saban was hired as the Tigers’ head coach after the 1999 season and he immediately turned the Tigers around.

LSU won eight games in Saban’s first season, before winning 10 games in 2001. In 2003, Saban led the Tigers to a 13-1 record and a win in the BCS National Championship game (Sugar Bowl) against the Oklahoma Sooners.

That could be the same trajectory that LSU takes under new head coach Brian Kelly.

Kelly, though, could do even better than Saban’s eight wins in his first season.

The Tigers have plenty of talent. This isn’t a major rebuild. Kelly probably isn’t leading LSU to a College Football Playoff appearance in 2021, but I could see a 10-win season for the Tigers in 2022 — which would be a very nice accomplishment in Kelly’s first year in the SEC.

LSU will be back soon. Very soon. We won’t see the Tigers this low in SEC power rankings again for a long time.