Can LSU football avoid another Week 1 letdown?

It’s been a long time since LSU football won the first game of the season. The last time the Tigers started 1-0, Joe Burrow was playing quarterback and Dave Aranda was the defensive coordinator.

After the national title win in 2019, it’s been four years of letdowns to open the year. LSU kicked off its title defense with a loss at home to Mississippi State. The next year, LSU dropped one at the Rose Bowl.

Ed Orgeron was fired in 2021, giving way to Brian Kelly. The program has made strides under Kelly with back-to-back 10-win seasons, but Kelly is 0-2 at openers in LSU.

To make things worse, LSU was the favorite in its last four openers. All four opponents were Power Five foes, but all four contests were winnable games for a program of LSU’s stature.

LSU will be tested in the opener again, this time with a neutral site meeting against USC. For the third straight year, LSU will begin its year on Sunday night in the national spotlight.

In just over a month, LSU will look to avoid the opening season letdown. Again, the Tigers are the favorite.

LSU was in a rough spot in 2020. Ja'Marr Chase opted out, adding to everything LSU already lost after 2019. Derek Stingley Jr. missed that first game too, and Mike Leach’s Mississippi State offense totaled 632 yards of offense.

In 2021, LSU trailed UCLA by four entering the fourth quarter, but a 14-0 Bruins run put the game out of reach.

In Kelly’s first game, LSU had a chance to force overtime against Florida State, but costly special teams mistakes cost the game.

Last year, looking for revenge against FSU, LSU positioned itself well early in the game. But failed red zone trips led to an unraveling. Florida State turned it on in the second half while LSU did anything but that.

LSU wasn’t outclassed in any of these games — the Tigers just weren’t ready.

At SEC media days, Kelly was asked if LSU needs to change anything about its preseason process. Kelly said LSU will adjust if needed, but trusts what they do now. It just comes down to execution.

This could be LSU’s most important Game 1 in some time. With an expanded 12-team playoff, a win puts LSU in control of its own destiny the rest of the way. The Tigers could be afforded a loss or two in conference play and still make the 12-team field.

If LSU comes out and drops another opener, to a USC team that might take a step back with no Caleb Williams, the narrative around LSU would not be pretty.

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