LSU Football: National Title will be out of reach with a loss to Texas

The ultimate goal for every college football team is winning the National Championship, although some may think that is lofty for the LSU Football program.

I hate overestimating the value of an early-season game as much as the next guy, but in college football, every single game really does matter for these elite power five schools. For the LSU Football program, the Week 2 matchup against Texas could have National Championship implications.

LSU is hosting Texas in the game of the week on Saturday. With the sixth-ranked team taking on the ninth-ranked team, this is the first game of the year that truly has National Championship implications for both sides involved.

And as hard of a pill as it is to swallow, if the LSU Tigers do lose this game to the Longhorns in upset fashion, then they will have to kiss any hopes they have for the National Title goodbye.

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I know what you are thinking: there are plenty of teams that lose one game in the year and still make the College Football Playoff. Heck, if you are going to lose at all, the best team to lose to is an elite, ranked, power five school.  A narrow loss to Texas does not look that bad on the resume.

After all, Oklahoma had one loss and still made the College Football Playoff, that loss being against Texas.

And you could make the case that if they beat Texas but still go on to win the SEC and defeat Alabama then they would make the Playoff. You probably are right and in that instance, I am willing to admit that LSU can lose this game but still play in the big game.

However, if LSU does lose this game then they won’t go on to Alabama. It will be a good indication of how LSU stacks up to these elite teams, especially if they lose this game.

For most of the nation outside of the LSU fanbase, the LSU football program is one that is on the fringe. Nobody is denying that they are good, but nobody really knows if they can take that next step to be one of the four best teams in the nation.

And unless something fluky happens where Texas scores on some miracle touchdown or some terrible missed call, I think a loss to Texas would prove that LSU is indeed right on that cusp, but is not over it.

What that means is that, if they lose this game, that is probably showing us that they won’t beat Alabama or win the SEC. That is what makes this game so important.

But hey, LSU is the favorites for a reason and while there is a lot at risk if they lose, I do still think that the Tigers are going to prevail.

But if they do lose just get used to them not being in the National Championship conversation. It’ll save a heartbreak.