How LSU is Approaching UCLA Game Two Weeks Out
Every opening game to a college football season provides critical intel about a team. As the course of a season plays out, each team grows leaps and bounds but how you start can change the perception of a team.
Look back to 2018, when LSU was ranked No. 25 in the country and thoroughly dismantled top-10 Miami week one. Or look at 2019, when LSU showed off its new offense under Joe Brady and Steve Ensminger that led to a 55-3 win over Georgia Southern. Even though it was an inferior opponent, it was easy to tell that there was something different, almost historic about the efficiency in which LSU was running its offense.
It could be argued that the season opening 44-34 loss to Mississippi State in 2020 was a precursor of what was to come. A team with talent but that had so many breakdowns that overshadowed the potential of the roster. The old saying "it's not how you start, it's how you finish" really can't be applied in college football.
Every week matters and starting out the right way against the Bruins next month will be critical for LSU to start changing the perception from last season. Right now, the Tigers are still in the fall camp stages of improving itself as a football team and not so much worrying about its week one opponent UCLA at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 4.
Ed Orgeron was asked if there were any comparisons he sees between the importance of the UCLA game and the Texas game two seasons ago which put LSU on the national map of serious contenders.
"I look at it the same way. I haven't talked to the team about it. It's on the road. Unknown team. We're an unknown team. We know what we have, but we got to go out and prove it," Orgeron said. "We've got to be hungry. It's going to be challenging, it's going to be at their house. They have some great athletes on their football team.
"It's the first time we're going out to Los Angeles with our football team so it's going to have to be a business trip. There's going to be some obstacles we're going to have to overcome during the game. Obviously, it's our first game together. First time we're playing with our quarterback, we have to take care of the football, but I think we'll be ready. Our guys going to be fired up, ready to go."
There will certainly be more pressing matters to address in the near future, such as getting this team as healthy as possible over the next 10 days. But it's also getting to be about the time where preparations for week one are important to ensure a fast start to the season.
