Joel Klatt considers whether LSU is a CFP contender

FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt is not sold on LSU as a College Football Playoff contender. The Tigers entered the year at No. 5 in the AP poll with high expectations coming off of a 10-3 season and SEC West title in 2022.

However, based on what we’ve seen so far, Klatt believes they aren’t quite as good as originally thought. LSU fell flat in a much-hyped season opener against Florida State to suffer a 45-24 blowout loss. Then last week, it struggled to put away Arkansas at home, needing a field goal with five seconds remaining to escape with a 34-31 win.

On The Joel Klatt Show, the FOX Sports analyst argued that their performance last year might have been overrated, leading to unrealistic goals this preseason.

“LSU is not on the level,” he said. “In fact, LSU is the fly in the ointment. Why are people not realizing that Florida State has some flaws? It’s because of what they thought about LSU coming into the year. We forgot about LSU and what they were a year ago. The Bama game was an anomaly. Their totals wins number was a bit of an anomaly. They only beat Arkansas by three last year. They only beat Auburn by four and they were housed by Georgia, A&M and Tennessee.

“If you really looked at LSU and you’re like, ‘Maybe they weren’t quite as good.’ Listen, I fell into the trap. I had them up there in the top 10 and I fell into the trap. So when Florida State beat LSU, I’m like ‘Well this means Florida State is really good.’ But does it?”

The Tigers have been difficult to get a read on early. Their 41-14 win against Mississippi State in Week 3 looked impressive, but the follow up against the Razorbacks left serious questions about their CFP hopes.

LSU will face much tougher competition in the coming weeks, beginning with Ole Miss this weekend. It also plays Alabama in the beginning of November in a game that could end up deciding the SEC West.

Klatt continued to say he believes the Crimson Tide have a better chance at making both the SEC Championship Game and Playoff than the Tigers do.

“This team right now almost lost to Arkansas,” he said. “Got run out of the stadium against Florida State. Don’t love their defensive game plan. They feel all over the place right now. Someone brought them up and I’m like, ‘They’re clearly below the line.’ My thoughts about LSU are still why I believe Alabama still even has a sniff or a path to the Playoff.

“Even for how low the ceiling is for Bama, they’re probably gonna play in the SEC Championship Game because the SEC West is not very good. The SEC West is not very good because LSU is not very good. We should’ve at least given that some thought in the preseason. If you really look at what they were a year ago and now what they are this year, it’s underwhelming.”

Regardless, LSU is still unbeaten in conference play and the path is still there to make the Playoff. The Tigers will aim to prove Klatt wrong when they kick off against the Rebels at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday in Oxford.