"It's gonna be disastrous": LSU legend warns Brian Kelly of backlash if Tigers stumble & fail to make CFP in 2025

Former LSU defensive end Marcus ‘Swagu’ Spears predicted a grim outcome for Brian Kelly’s LSU if the team doesn’t make the playoffs. Spears appeared on Get Up by ESPN on Tuesday alongside Heather Dinich and Paul Finebaum, analyzing the preseason coaches’ poll.

Asked about the ramifications if Kelly and the Tigers miss the playoffs, Spears answered (6:20):

“It’s going to be a disaster.”

Spears continued:

“LSU is in that window now…where if you don’t win big, if you’re Brian Kelly, this fan base is done. And I’m just telling you the wins and the success and all of the things, going to the SEC Championship your first year, was great. But people still didn’t feel like that was like a big-time accomplishment based on how it happened.

"This year, you see all the transfers, you see the recruiting class, Garrett Nussmeier high in the preseason Heisman conversation, all of those things in the past at LSU have aligned with them having big seasons. It doesn’t guarantee a championship, but it should guarantee you being a playoff contender. And if they are not…this fan base is going to turn quickly on Brian Kelly.”

Kelly is under pressure to deliver the goods at Baton Rouge. The former Notre Dame coach was signed by the Tigers in 2022 with expectations of winning the national title.

This has not materialized, however, with the Tigers yet to secure a College Football Playoff berth in Kelly’s first three seasons.

Joel Klatt sets urgent playoffs goal for Brian Kelly and LSU

Fox Sports’ Joe Klatt echoed Spears’ talking points on Monday on "The Joel Klatt Show." The analyst highlighted the need for Kelly to prove himself to the LSU fan base. He said:

“I think that the urgency is there or should be for LSU and [Brian] Kelly. Brian Kelly knows it. That’s why you hit the portal so hard. They had to fill some holes because it’s got to happen for them. Listen, Notre Dame can’t be going and playing for the National Championship while LSU is not playing in the CFP that’s not why LSU paid Brian Kelly.”

Kelly achieved a national championship game berth during his decade-long reign at Notre Dame, also making the college football playoffs in 2018 and 2020.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash