ESPN's Lee Corso predicts winner of the College Football Playoff

LSU Tiger title hopes

Corso's pick was a bit surprising because LSU is generally perceived as the fourth contender for the SEC crown. The preseason SEC media poll concurred in that result, placing the Tigers, just as they sit in the season-opening AP poll, behind Texas, Alabama, and Georgia.

Key to LSU's title hopes will their performance in Week 1 at Clemson. As indicated above, Corso also placed those Tigers as a Final Four squad in his potential CFP semifinals, so he's clearly bullish on that squad as well. If the Week 1 battle ends up as a preview of a CFP semifinal matchup of the teams, it takes on even some extra stature.

LSU does catch a bit of a break in the schedule department after Week 1. Of the three teams considered to have superior SEC chances, the Tigers won't play either Texas or Georgia in the regular season. The visit to Alabama on November 8th then assumes a massive amount of significance if Corso is to be proven prophetic.

As Corso notes, veteran QB Nussmeier does stand to be at the center of the Tigers' chances. A season ago, Nussmeier was one of only six FBS quarterbacks to pass for 4,000 yards. He's the only one who returned to school this fall. With Barrion Brown (from Kentucky) and Nic Anderson (from Oklahoma) added to the stable of receiving talent, LSU's offense will likely be key in whatever run the Tigers make in 2025-- particularly if, as Corso predicts, that run goes all the way to the CFP championship.