In less than a year, the current format of the College Football Playoff will be played for the last time. The 12-team playoff will spawn a new era of college football, but all roads for the 2024 national title game lead to the Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl.
The winners of each game will make travel plans to Houston to battle for the grand prize: the College Football Playoff National Championship. Both the Sugar Bowl and NRG Stadium are in a tremendous geographical position for one program that aims to win the national title.
Brian Kelly took over the LSU program a year ago, getting to work in recruiting and the transfer portal while the Tigers were blown out by Kansas State in the Texas Bowl.
The Tigers’ coaching staff has done tremendous work, as the portal provided a net 13 players gained with more than 15,000 snaps of experience. No team in college football inherited more experience than LSU, led by quarterback Jayden Daniels.
There was a massive learning curve for the staff and players, as the Tigers’ season opener against Florida State resulted in a loss after FSU blocked an LSU extra point attempt to tie the game.
LSU would go on to win nine of its next 10, with its only loss coming in blowout fashion against Tennessee due to turnovers and poor execution.
Kelly ended the season with a group of rising NFL talent and an offensive line chock-full of underclassmen that finished the season ranked first in Line Yards.
The offense and defense will have their primary stars return. Daniels comes back at quarterback after posting 17 passing touchdowns to just three interceptions. Add in more than 1,000 yards on the ground with 11 rushing touchdowns, and Daniels’ name will be a hot commodity in the early Heisman voting.
The defense ended the season with one of the country’s best freshmen in linebacker Harold Perkins, who led the team in sacks. Now, Kelly is adding to an already talent-rich roster, gaining two four-star players from the transfer portal.
Harold Perkins. Again.
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/0KZbc9ihfT
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 12, 2022
As with most seasons, LSU’s 2023 schedule is challenging. The docket features a neutral-site opener with Florida State, a tricky triple-option spot against Army and a showdown with Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
LSU was blessed in SEC East cross-division scheduling, drawing a trip to Missouri and hosting an underachieving Florida team.
Without adjustments to TARP (Transfer Portal and Returning Production), LSU is projected to be a favorite in every game except Alabama next season. The only other hedge games on the schedule include the opener with the Seminoles and a projected SEC Championship matchup.
If a prop existed for Kelly to win a national title in the next three years, the “Yes” option would not hold enough value. Alabama and Georgia will undergo offensive changes under center, while plenty of other SEC rosters are in search of stability.
LSU will have the most experienced and talent-rich roster heading into next season.
Price point is always key. A 12-1 price is the proper number for this national title contender. With LSU’s opening odds sitting at 20-1, my first play of the 2023 season is on the Kelly and Daniels-led Tigers.
Pick: LSU to Win 2023-24 National Championship (+2000)
