It has been really easy to compare current-day LSU to the Auburn teams of a decade ago. Back in October, I compared the runs of two great quarterbacks, Auburn's Cam Newton in 2010 and LSU's Joe Burrow in 2019. But there's another, less enjoyable comparison to make regarding what happened after those star QBs left.
After Newton, Auburn staggered to an 8-5 season before completely collapsing in 2012. With no nonconference slate to prop it up, LSU has fast-forwarded straight to a potential collapse, starting this season 2-3, including frustrating losses to Mississippi State and Missouri and a blowout against Auburn.
LSU was scheduled to face Alabama on Saturday, before the game was postponed due to COVID-19. But the opening line for Alabama-LSU still made history. Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill listed the Crimson Tide as 28-point favorites. Going back to 1978, a defending national champion had never been a more than 21-point underdog. In fact, only one defending champ had ever been a more than 12-point underdog: Auburn in 2011, twice.
Since 1978, there have been only 11 games featuring a defending champ as an underdog of more than seven points. Nearly half of those were played by post-Cam Auburn, and not many featured programs that were due to reach the promised land again anytime soon.
Oct. 8, 1983: No. 3 Alabama at Penn State (+8)
Season to date: After winning their first national title under Joe Paterno in 1982, Penn State opened 1983 with three consecutive losses -- blowouts to No. 1 Nebraska and No. 13 Iowa, plus a baffling loss to Cincinnati. After wins at Temple and Rutgers, the Nittany Lions welcomed Ray Perkins' unbeaten Alabama to town and avenged their lone loss of 1982.
Result: Penn State 34, Alabama 28. Alabama turned the ball over six times, and Penn State freshman D.J. Dozier had his fourth straight 100-yard rushing game, going for 163. The Nittany Lions raced to a 34-7 lead, then took their foot off the gas. Alabama drove for three fourth-quarter touchdowns, then blocked what would have been the game-clinching field goal with 2:56 left. The Crimson Tide drove down the field once more, but Penn State's Greg Gattuso and Mark Fruehan stopped Kerry Goode short of the goal line as time expired.
Cover? Yes.
Aftermath: Dozier and other freshmen eventually drove the next great Penn State run. The Nittany Lions went just 14-9-1 in 1983 and '84 but 11-1 in 1985. After falling short of a title because of an Orange Bowl loss to Oklahoma, they sealed the deal the next year, going 12-0 and upsetting Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
Sept. 28, 1991: No. 19 Georgia Tech (+9) at No. 7 Clemson