Perhaps no team in college football is expected to take as big of a step forward as the LSU Tigers. Under Brian Kelly, LSU showed flashes last season that indicate the Tigers could be in for another championship run in the next few years. In our LSU season predictions, our team of analysts picked every game and thinks that the hype is warranted.
LSU Season Predictions: Predicting the Game-by-Game Results
Using groupthink, College Football Network analysts have painstakingly gone through every game for every team in the SEC and across the country.
Picking these games straight up with a projected score using the rosters as up-to-date as the last spring practice, the LSU season predictions indicate what fans can possibly expect for the Tigers in 2023.
Week 1 — LSU vs. Florida State: Loss, 27-29 (0-1)
The Tigers once again open with Florida State on a non-Saturday of Week 1. Following their thriller last year, the Tigers will be looking for revenge. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that our analysts are all very high on LSU this season, we all have Florida State taking this one in a close contest.
The fact that this game is in Death Valley really helps the Tigers, and it really is a toss-up game. That being said, Florida State is also up this season, and we have the Seminoles in what will be the game of the week.
Week 2 — LSU vs. Grambling State: Win, 52-8 (1-1)
LSU hosts HBCU Grambling in Week 2. Unsurprisingly, none of our experts think that the Tigers will have any issues here. What we will be interested to see is how the wide receiver rotation plays out and if the Tigers switch up their offensive line at all in an effort to play a few of their young, talented linemen.
Week 3 — LSU @ Mississippi State: Win, 32-21 (2-1, 1-0 SEC)
LSU’s first road test of the season comes in Starkville, against the Bulldogs. Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers is one of the most talented signal-callers in the SEC, but the Tigers’ pass rush can really stress a Mississippi State offensive line that isn’t used to having to hold blocks very long.
All of our analysts are aligned and have the Tigers winning this one by a 10-14 point margin.
Week 4 — LSU vs. Arkansas: Win, 33-26 (3-1, 2-0 SEC)
Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson is probably the top dual-threat quarterback in the SEC. In this game, I think he could struggle to move the ball through the air, but he’s dangerous with his legs and will probably have a strong day on the ground.
All three of us are high on Arkansas, so it says a lot about our faith in the Tigers that all three of us have this earmarked as an LSU victory.
Week 5 — LSU @ Ole Miss: Win, 37-28 (4-1, 3-0 SEC)
Ole Miss is in a unique spot that it has not been in under Lane Kiffin. Simply put, the Rebels don’t have a quarterback yet, though they have a few capable ones on the roster. Once again, I expect the Tigers to be able to get after the quarterback, and Harold Perkins could have a monster game in this one.
All of our analysts are aligned and have this as another comfortable win for the Tigers.
Week 6 — LSU @ Missouri: Win, 37-18 (5-1, 4-0 SEC)
None on our team of analysts are particularly high on Missouri this season, as we think their offensive woes will continue in 2023. As such, all three of us expect the Tigers from Baton Rouge to dominate this game.
But, Jayden Daniels may have some difficulties moving the ball down the field here because Missouri’s corners are among the best in the SEC. That being said, the Tigers should not have any issues in the running game and should be all over Missouri quarterback Brady Cook.
Week 7 — LSU vs. Auburn: Win, 34-19 (6-1, 5-0 SEC)
Hugh Freeze may have Auburn back in the mix over the next few years, but it won’t be in 2023. Auburn just has too many holes in both its offense and defense, and one coach cannot make that big of a difference.
Expect Jayden Daniels to have a huge game, especially if he struggles a little bit against Missouri the week prior. He has an outside shot at winning the Heisman this season, and the nation shouldn’t be surprised to see Kelly and the LSU offense run up the score at the end of this one.
Week 8 — LSU vs. Army: Win, 39-12 (7-1, 5-0 SEC)
The Tigers welcome Army to Baton Rouge in their final week before their bye week. Because of this, it wouldn’t surprise any of us to see LSU get off to a slow start. However, the Tigers have way too much talent to lose this one and will turn it into a blowout by the end of the first half.
Week 10 — LSU @ Alabama: Win, 32-30 (8-1, 6-0 SEC)
This is the big one.
The Tigers come off of a bye before playing Alabama in what probably amounts to the SEC West title game. We should note that two of our analysts picked against the Tigers here. However, Oli Hodgkinson is so low on the Crimson Tide and has the Tigers taking this one by double digits, pulling our average score into an LSU victory.
This all comes down to whether or not Nick Saban can find himself a quarterback. The best coach in college football can do a lot to offset a struggling signal-caller but would struggle against top-tier teams without a top-tier quarterback.
If one of the Tide quarterbacks takes a step forward, the rest of the SEC West could be in trouble.
Week 11 — LSU vs. Florida: Win, 39-18 (9-1, 7-0 SEC)
n my opinion, Florida could be in free fall by this point in the season. From what I’ve been hearing, they’re having huge issues at the quarterback position, and it’s not like they were much better last year with the number four overall pick, Anthony Richardson, at the helm.
LSU should have little trouble moving the ball and should have little trouble getting after the quarterback. Expect the Tigers to win this one in a rout.
Week 12 — LSU vs. Georgia State: Win, 39-9 (10-1, 7-0 SEC)
Georgia State has carved out a nice role as a solid Sun Belt team. That being said, solid Sun Belt teams can’t typically hang with borderline elite SEC teams. All three of us expect LSU to win this one handily and think several of the younger players could get some extended playing time in this one.
Week 13 — LSU vs. Texas A&M: Win, 30-22 (11-1, 8-0 SEC)
The end of LSU’s 2023 schedule seems a bit anticlimactic. After losing Arkansas as its post-Thanksgiving game, the Tigers will instead host a Texas A&M team that may be fighting for bowl eligibility.
I’m not entirely sold on Aggie quarterback Conner Weigman, but even more than my colleagues, believe this could be a really tight game.
