Explaining LSU's path to College Football Playoff in 2024

LSU might have a path to the College Football Playoff in 2024, according to ESPN’s Peter Burns and Chris Doering.

The two SEC commentators broke down the Tigers’ schedule this fall, saying the USC game in Week 1 is the biggest key. With a win over the Trojans, it sets up for a 5-0 record.

From there, any number of things can happen for LSU.

“I think they can lose to (Texas) A&M, I think they can lose to Alabama, I think they can lose to Florida in Gainesville,” Doering said on Sirius XM. “I think they can lose to Oklahoma maybe … I think they’re probably a 9-3, 8-4 team at the worst, because of how the schedule sets you up. But you’re right, you have to have that USC Week 1 win because that first five is where you’re going to make the majority of the hay. I think the second half of the season, I think you could easily go 3-3 or maybe even 2-4 for the final six.”

That’s where Burns countered with his prediction of a 10-2 regular season on tap for LSU.

“I don’t see three losses if they beat USC,” Burns said. “I think the confidence and then I think you have a ramp up or the schedule is easy. You should be 5-0 going into Death Valley on October the 12th, 2024 against Ole Miss.”

Can LSU make the College Football Playoff?

While Doering didn’t want to rule anything out, he had a hard time seeing a big jump this season. But nine wins is still realistic, it just might not be enough for an LSU CFP berth.

“You’re taking a massive jump from an abysmal defense last year,” Doering said. “You’ve lost a Heisman winning quarterback and two first round wide receivers. And your defense was absolutely terrible last year, you think you’re going to fill all that production on offense and get considerably better on defense to where you can win 10 games this year? Like I just don’t see it man.”

The Bengal Tiger’s Billy Embody joined Andy Staples On3 and basically said championship or bust. Fair or not, that’s the regular expectation of the program.

With veterans back, LSU could be very good or the team could stumble and fall to the middle of the pack of the SEC.

“I mean, the expectation obviously, is to be, you know, competing for national championships,” Embody said. “I mean, the only higher expectations around LSU are for the baseball team. And so I mean, right or wrong, that’s just the reality of it. But LSU has a team that if they can be coached up better, and we talked about that with Bo Davis, coaching that group at Texas on the defensive line, Blake Baker is obviously taking over as defensive coordinator, and they’ve got a really good staff on that side of the ball. 

“Just schematically and putting it together, better and more organized, can help them improve into the, let’s say the 70s of college football defenses. That would be a win and then it’s about the offense holding up its end of the bargain that they have. Even when Jayden Daniels was still kind of learning as LSU’s first year starter, they were showing some flashes, some promise and had some good games as well. But you could see this team honestly going anywhere from eight wins to running the table.”