BATON ROUGE — LSU was given another lofty preseason ranking on Tuesday as Sports Illustrated tabbed the Tigers No. 13 in its 2005 College Football Preview, which hits the news stands later this week.
Last week, the USA Today Coaches Poll ranked the Tigers No. 6 heading into the 2005 season. The Tigers, under first-year coach Les Miles, return 17 starters on offense and defense from a squad that posted a 9-3 record in 2004. The Associated Press Top 25 will be released later this month.
Sports Illustrated has picked Southern Cal as the nation’s No. 1 team, followed by Texas at No. 2, Florida No. 3, Michigan No. 4 and Tennessee No. 5. Miami (Fla.), Oklahoma, Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Georgia round out the Top 10.
Other LSU opponents in the SI’s preseason poll include Auburn at No. 18 and Arizona State at No. 20. The Tigers host Arizona State on Sept. 10 in Tiger Stadium.
In addition to the team ranking, LSU senior Skyler Green received some individual recognition, being listed as one of the nation’s top game breakers by the magazine. SI ranked Green No. 8 in terms of game breaking ability saying, “don’t be fooled by Green’s pedestrian ’04 stats – the senior wideout was slowed by a nagging ankle injury and only started four games. If he can regain the form that earned him SI.com first-team All-America honors as a kick returner in ’03, the Tigers will have a real weapon on special teams.”
Green enters his final season with the Tigers fifth in school history in punt return yards with 750 to his credit. In addition, he’s returned three punts for touchdowns, a figure that is tied for first in LSU history.
The Tigers open their season on Sept. 3 in Tiger Stadium against North Texas.
SI’s 2005 Preseason Top 25
1. USC
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. Michigan
5. Tennessee
6. Miami
7. Oklahoma
8. Ohio State
9. Virginia Tech
10. Georgia
11. Louisville
12. Iowa
13. LSU
14. Texas A&M
15. Florida State
16. Boise State
17. Cal
18. Auburn
19. Fresno State
20. Arizona State
21. Pitt
22. Purdue
23. Bowling Green
24. Colorado
25. Wyoming