FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2018, file photo, LSU head coach Ed Orgeron leads his team before an NCAA college football game against Southeastern Louisiana, in Baton Rouge, La. LSU travels to defending Sugar Bowl champion Texas to go along with a brutal SEC schedule that features a trip to Alabama and home games with Florida and Texas A&M. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
2018 record: 10-3, 5-3 SEC
Coach: Ed Orgeron (fourth year)
Sked or alive? The Tigers probably won’t finish this high because their schedule is a nightmare. They visit Texas in Week 2 and face this foursome from Oct. 12-Nov. 9: Florida, Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama. The MSU and Bama games are on the road. LSU caps it all off against Texas A&M. Last year’s meeting went to seven overtimes.
Why they’re here: Orgeron has LSU pointed in the right direction. The Tigers have gotten a little better each year under his watch. They finally have a legit quarterback in Joe Burrow to go along with their usual collection of NFL-caliber athletes. Their biggest challenge is simply the division in which they play. The SEC West is a bear.
