LSU's first game of the season really set the tone for how the 2024 schedule would turn out. By that, I mean there were some positives, but outweighed by more negatives at the end.
Back in September, LSU kicked off the season against USC; a game they would end up losing 27-20. But in the game, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier would throw for over 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He did throw an interception as well. Wide Receiver Kyren Lacy was able to get 94 yards receiving and a touchdown in the game as well. But again, LSU lost the game.
So that single game, that one early September matchup, would be the whole LSU season in a nutshell.
Because after that, LSU would rattle off 6 wins in a row, to bring that record to 6-1, and put themselves deep in the College Football Playoff discussion. Some of those wins were big too. A road game at South Carolina they won when everyone seemed to be picking against them. A massive overtime win against 9th ranked Ole Miss, a tough road matchup against an upstart Arkansas team. Those were all the really good and flashy parts.
But then, the Texas A&M game hit, and the wheels fell off. They lost 38-23 to the Aggies. Then they got boat raced by Alabama 42-13, and lost a dumpster fire in The Swamp to Florida 27-16.
The Tigers would wrap the season with back to back home wins against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, which brought their final regular season record to 8-4. That's good enough to earn a solid bowl game invite (and payout) but bad enough to be far away from the college football playoff. Much like that USC game, they did a lot right, but ultimately lost.
Which brings us to the bowl game. Where will LSU play, and who will they play against?
There are a lot of predictions right now, and they all offer different ideas. But they do have some things in common: first, it will be a good bowl game, and second, it will probably be against another blue-blood program.
Some have the Tigers set for the Texas Bowl, which they've played in before. Its not a bad trip for most LSU fans, and could come with a decent matchup. Sports Illustrated has them projected for that game against Kansas State.
The Sporting News has LSU set for the Music City Bowl, which is the game that most predictions have them set for. But who they will play is very up in the air. While The Sporting News has them playing Minnesota in the game, 247Sports has them taking on Nebraska. But the best possibility comes from USA Today.
Predictions from USA Today suggest that LSU will play in the Music City Bowl, but would face the winningest program in NCAA history...the Michigan Wolverines.
While the Wolverines haven't had the best season (much like LSU) they are still the defending National Champions. Michigan is the bluest of blue-blood programs, and would be a fun matchup this year, with where both teams currently are.
But on top of that...LSU has NEVER played Michigan in football.
So we could see a historic matchup between two of the biggest programs in college football history. I don't care that it would be in a "meaningless" bowl, that game would go hard.