LSU Football: ESPN releases game-by-game predictions for every Tigers game in 2022

ESPN has released its matchup predictor for the LSU Tigers ahead of the 2022 college football season, according to the ESPN Football Power Index. If ESPN’s numbers pan out, LSU can expect to find itself winning nine of its 12 regular season games, putting the Tigers right back into the conversation as SEC West contenders and right back in the College Football Playoff picture three seasons after winning it for the first time.

Florida State (Neutral, New Orleans): 9/3 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC

ESPN FPI win probability: 71%

Southern (Home): 9/10 at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network

ESPN FPI win probability: 99.5%

Mississippi State (Home): 9/17 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN

ESPN FPI win probability: 68.2%

New Mexico (Home): 9/24 at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ or ESPN+

ESPN FPI win probability: 98.6%

Auburn (Away): 10/1 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 42.6%

Tennessee (Home): 10/8 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 67.7%

Florida (Away): 10/15 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 55.3%

Ole Miss (Home): 10/22 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 63%

Alabama (Home): 11/5 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 18.5%

Arkansas (Away): 11/12 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 54.2%

UAB (Home): 11/19 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 88.4%

Texas A&M (Away): 11/26 at TBD

ESPN FPI win probability: 44.5%

The new LSU under Brian Kelly

Before arriving in the bayou, Kelly was the head coach for Notre Dame for 12 seasons where he amassed a 92-39 record in that span. He turned them into a constant in the College Football Playoff conversation, making two playoff semifinals and appearing in the 2012 national championship. There has been nothing but consistency at Notre Dame with Kelly, winning at least 10 games over the past five years.

The former Fighting Irish coach takes over for a program that fired head coach Ed Orgeron less than two seasons after winning a national championship. Orgeron was 51-20 overall with the Tigers, but just an even 11-11 over the past two seasons – meaning it was time for a change. After a 6-7 overall record in 2021, Kelly has vowed to return the Tigers to national prominence.

“LSU is a great program, great tradition, great history, so just getting that opportunity meant a lot. Look, I loved my opportunity at Notre Dame. It was a great opportunity. But it’s time and place,” Kelly said at SEC Media Days. “You have to have the right timing and it’s got to be the right place, and LSU was the right place and it was the right time for me to make that move. It’s been a great embrace for me personally and for our family to come to Louisiana and we love it. It’s great.”