Isn’t it amazing what one year’s time can do? Right around this time last year, LSU football came into the season unranked in the annual preseason AP poll. The Tigers were coming off a disappointing 6-7 season, and college football wasn’t sure what to expect in 2022. However, things have changed significantly for coach Brian Kelly and his squad, as the Associated Press (AP) has LSU ranked No. 5 heading into 2023.
Preseason AP Poll: LSU football set to face much higher expectations in 2023
Is coach Brian Kelly cut out to be an SEC head coach? Can he go all the way and win a national championship? Does he even have what it takes to win a Power Five conference championship?
First, we might never find out about the last question based on the current climate of conference expansion. Still, that’s a conversation for another time.
The other two questions, however, could be finding their answers much sooner than many fans anticipated.
In his first season with LSU football, Kelly beat out any and all expectations. He’s always been well-known in college football and found significant success in his time at Notre Dame. However, very few expected him to help turn around the Tigers’ program in the dramatic fashion that he did.
The team went 10-4 overall, which included a win over Alabama, a trip to the SEC Championship and a bowl game victory over Purdue. After going 6-7 in 2021, this was huge for the program.
Looking ahead to 2023, expectations have shifted, as LSU football is ranked as the No. 5 team in college football, according to the preseason AP poll.
With this shift in expectations, Kelly no longer has the benefit of being the new guy in town. LSU football fans have largely bought in and have high hopes for the program’s future under him. Will he be able to take a step forward in 2023?
Well, if the program is to live up to their AP poll expectations, they’ll almost certainly need to. Still, Kelly himself has pointed out 2025 as the season to expect a significant jump forward. If he and his team continue to stay bought in this year, only time will tell just how high the limit is for this Tigers team.
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