LSU deserves far more credit for their overall season

An Alabama fan’s perspective

LSU, we know you’re one of our biggest rivals, but it’s time you get the credit where credit is due. Last weekend, you scared Alabama fans – you scared us all. The stats don’t lie. You went from starting the preseason as a highly ranked team, then losing legendary coach Les Miles mid-season.

In week five, you dropped out of the AP Poll top 25 rankings. You’ve been all over the board when it comes to the rankings. Then you come back and prepare for what is one of – if not the biggest – game of your season and take on #1 Alabama, as you’re now back on the board at #13.

You welcomed us into your territory with open arms, ready for a battle. We entered your home ground willingly, knowing this was not just another big SEC matchup. The Alabama vs. LSU game is one game that both Alabama fans and LSU fans look forward to every year. It is tradition – something that runs deep in the South.

Bama fans know we hold something near and dear to your heart. We claimed one of the best coaches in college football who once belonged to you. Both LSU fans and team members want to prove to the college football world you have done just fine without the legendary Nick Saban. We knew how hungry you guys were going to be for us.

After all, “Death Valley” isn’t just a nickname that came about. It’s called “Death Valley” because the atmosphere and the rush it gives off can make any team’s season dream die. The crowd, the field and playing under the lights are not things that come as a piece of cake for any visiting team.

LSU is where “night games” have been a thing going all the way back to the 1930s. Not only playing in a great atmosphere, but playing there at night as well is something unexplainable unless you’ve witnessed it. Last weekend, Alabama walked into a stadium with an attendance of 102,321 people. The support the fans have for their team is just another attribute of what it’s like to play for an SEC school.

A single touchdown plus a field goal was the final damage done. This is a huge win for Bama, but not a bad loss for LSU. Alabama is known for beating teams by absurd margins. The entire Alabama defense was named the Walter Camp National Player of the Week.

That being said, it’s not surprising LSU was unsuccessful in putting points on the board. The possession time when the teams both had the ball was almost the same. Alabama appears stronger when looking at the stats, but not by much. In that game, we never lead in points the way we usually do. The touchdown by Alabama’s quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t come until the 4th quarter. That left a whole game for both Bama and LSU fans to just sit and wonder what the outcome would be. It could have easily gone either way.

This is by no means an unsuccessful season for you. You are gaining talent for the future, and building the program even more by changing head coaches. Even after a loss to Bama, you’re still ranked in the top 25. Every season is filled with unpredictable outcomes. Being in the SEC, and especially being in the SEC West, you are going up against the best of the best teams. You had an excellent 2016 recruiting class in which you finished being ranked #3 in the rankings for classes.

LSU builds for the future, which is nothing new for teams to do, but the potential talent of LSU recruits will be close to unstoppable in the years to come. LSU landed 10 players who were ranked nationally in the top 10, in terms of their position. Signing 24 players in the 2016 recruiting class and having 18 of them being five-star and four-star recruits say a lot. LSU is a breeding ground for talent. Alabama is always looking to recruit in the state of Louisiana, but again, they have to compete with LSU.

Thank you, LSU, for giving us a run for our money. Challenges are nothing new for Bama, but we sure do look forward to them.

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