Year 2 of the Brian Kelly era of LSU football begins Sept. 3 in the second leg of a two-year matchup against Florida State. The Seminoles claimed victory in last year's game, when they blocked the Tigers' game-tying extra point attempt with no time on the clock. It made for an embarrassing LSU debut for Kelly, who was already under scrutiny for some cringe-worthy offseason antics. However, the rest of the year went quite well, and the Tigers finished 10-4, including a win over Alabama, in Kelly's first season.

What does Year 2 hold for Kelly as all of college football embarks on the shared goal of dethroning the powerhouse that is the Georgia Bulldogs? Well, LSU has the SEC's best quarterback and a very talented roster. As a result, the expectations are very high. The Tigers came in at No. 5 in the AP Preseason Top 25, and they have the fifth-best odds to win it all.

Here are four bold predictions for LSU football in 2023:

 

4. LSU finishes 11-1 in the regular season

The transfer portal has completely changed the timeline on college football rebuilds. LSU has still recruited well since its 2019 championship run, so it wasn't a full rebuild the way a team like USC was last year. Still, all it takes is hiring the right coach, and a guy like Brian Kelly can fully reload a roster in one offseason. There won't be much of a talent gap between LSU and anyone else this year. They had the No. 2 transfer class in the 2023 offseason.

Looking ahead at LSU's schedule, there are three matchups that stand out. Week 1 in Orlando against Florida State: this is essentially a road game, even though it's technically a “neutral site.” Operating under the assumption that the Florida State hype has gotten out of hand, LSU comes out with a vengeance and redeems last year's Week 1 loss.

The next one is Week 5 on the road at Ole Miss. Ole Miss is a bit of a question mark this year. They have a lot of talent and a strong head coach in Lane Kiffin, but an internal quarterback competition continues. Jaxson Dart was the starter last year, and he played fine, but Spencer Sanders also transferred in from Oklahoma State. In either case, the Ole Miss run game, powered by Quinshon Judkins, will be a force. Still, LSU football's talent and defensive capability should be enough to win this game.

Then, there's Alabama on Nov. 4 in Tuscaloosa. Alabama also doesn't know who its quarterback is, but the fact that the Crimson Tide is still ranked in the top-4 is just a testament to the recruiting prowess of Nick Saban. This team is going to be very hard to beat, and few teams manage to beat Saban two years in a row. Alabama will also be out for revenge, and they'll hand LSU its only regular season loss.

LSU breezes through the likes of Auburn, Florida, and Texas A&M, finishing the regular season 11-1 and earning a place in the SEC championship game, representing the SEC West.

 

3. LSU wins the SEC

After finishing the year 11-1 and making the SEC Championship Game, LSU will face off against the reining back-t0-back champion Georgia Bulldogs, who will be 12-0 once again. Behind the heroics of future Heisman Trophy runner-up Jayden Daniels' heroics, the Tigers hand Georgia its first loss in two full calendar years.

Now, beating Georgia is no easy task, and there's only a few teams with the talent to do it. LSU is highly capable defensively and strong enough in the trenches to “compete” with the Bulldogs' stacked roster. “Compete” is a tentative term here; LSU will still be outmatched up front, but they'll hold their own.

Most importantly, you have to be able to throw the ball to beat Georgia. You can't beat them at their own ground-and-pound game. They're too physical and too talented.

With Daniels' dual-threat abilities in the backfield and a talented receiving corps led by Malik Nabers, the Tigers are one of the best candidates to finally knock off the Bulldogs.

 

2. LSU loses in the College Football Playoff… to Georgia

A 12-1 record in the SEC will get you into the College Football Playoff 9/10 times. In the case of the events laid out above, both LSU and Georgia would find themselves in the top-4. The SEC champion obviously makes it, and the CFP committee isn't going to keep a 12-win Georgia team out of contention.

Beating this form of Georgia once is a tall enough task already. Nobody is doing it twice, though. Even that 2021 Alabama team, led by Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, couldn't complete the task. They beat Georgia in the 2021 SEC Championship Game by three scores. The Bulldogs came back with a vengeance in the National Championship, holding an elite Alabama offense to just 18 points and ultimately winning the game. If Bryce Young and Nick Saban couldn't do it, Jayden Daniels and Brian Kelly probably can't either.

 

1. Jayden Daniels *almost* wins the Heisman

Jayden Daniels is a phenomenal quarterback. He shined at Arizona State with his legs, showcasing elite ability to extend plays and complete passes outside of the pocket.

In his first year as a Tiger, Daniels threw for 2,900 yards and 17 touchdowns, with just three interceptions. He added nearly 900 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground as well. With a year in this system under his belt, Daniels should only be better. He'll put up the stats, and LSU football will win enough games to land Daniels in contention for college football's most prestigious individual award.

However, he won't win the award, because USC's Caleb Williams will. Again.