Losing is never ideal—or is it? Consider the 2015 Alabama national championship team. The Tide suffered a home loss to Ole Miss in week three of the 2015 season but went on to win their next 12 games, securing Nick Saban’s fourth National Championship. In fact, during Saban’s 17-year tenure at Alabama, the Tide only had two undefeated seasons.
Going undefeated in the SEC is rare.
Besides Saban’s two perfect seasons, only four SEC teams have gone undefeated since 1993: Alabama (2009, 2020), Georgia (2022), and Tennessee (1998). This rarity is one reason the LSU Tigers should remain optimistic despite their disappointing week one loss to the USC Trojans in Las Vegas.
LSU tested themselves early.
While some might view the Tigers as one of the few SEC teams to lose in week one, it’s important to note that they were one of only four teams to face a ranked opponent. Testing yourself early can reveal weaknesses before other teams do, which can be advantageous in the long run.
LSU has a chance to build momentum.
The Tigers’ next four games are against Nicholls State, South Carolina, UCLA, and South Alabama. While South Carolina and UCLA are Power Five programs and presumably the only real challenges, both are currently struggling. If this trend continues, LSU could be 4-1 with significant momentum heading into their matchup against Ole Miss.
Being humbled early is better than being humbled late.
Recognizing what needs improvement is crucial for both the Tigers’ coaching staff and players, and losses often provide more insight than wins. The fact that the Tigers lost in week one might not be detrimental after all.
While most other SEC teams are riding high off early wins, they may be less aware of their weaknesses, which will likely be exposed later in the season. History shows that it’s often better to face adversity early rather than late, and LSU now has that advantage. The key question is: What will they do with it moving forward?
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