LSU football comes into this season with all sorts of pressure on them. Brian Kelly has had three seasons in Baton Rouge and has not made enough noise in the postseason, and has disappointed given the talent level in the regular season. However, this season the Tigers have the best roster Kelly has had during his time with LSU football, something he declared on his own, starting with Garrett Nussmeier under center.

Nussmeier talked with On3's Pete Nakos before the season started, and they discussed everything related to the Tigers and the upcoming season. In the discussion, Nussmeier was very vocal about the roster's potential and thought it was the best roster he'd ever participated in.

He told Nakos, “Best roster I've been a part of,” referring to how much potential the LSU Tigers have this season.

LSU has had issues starting the season well, losing its last five, with its last win coming against Georgia Southern in 2019. In the interview, Nussmeier addresses that aspect, too, because he's seen three of those five losses as a backup and starter.

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“We're not hiding from it,” Nussmeier said. “We talk about it; we're open about it and accept it's a problem. We know that we have to find a way to fix it. It's still a little early to be scouting and things like that. I know our coaches have. As a team, it's more of having a 1-0 mindset. Not just about who we're playing, but we're preparing to win the first football game, no matter who we're playing.”

The Tigers open this season against the Clemson Tigers, another team expected to be near the top of the college football landscape on the road. According to FanDuel odds, Clemson is a 3.5-point home favorite against LSU in Week 1, another massive matchup where LSU needs to show up against a quality opponent.

This season is a make-or-break year for Brian Kelly. He has the talent to put this team over the top, and Garrett Nussmeier is a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender who can help him do it because he decided to stay in college this season and get even better.

Besides the opener against Clemson, LSU plays Alabama and Ole Miss on the road, and then South Carolina and Texas A&M are at home. Thanks to this schedule, LSU needs to get over the hump in season openers, or they will be playing catch-up from the start.