Is the 2021 LSU Football Team improved enough to beat UCLA?

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Kirk Herbstreit takes a victory lap after big UCLA win.

James Fletcher III

College Gameday host Kirk Herbstreit took an early victory lap on his UCLA take from Saturday morning, encouraging his co-hosts to join the bandwagon before it is too late. During a live show in Atlanta, Herbstreit asserted that this would be the season Chip Kelly turned things around. After a 44-10 win over Hawaii in Week 0, he is doubling down on his hot take.

“Tried to tell you boys ‘Get in Front’ of the 2021 UCLA football team,” Herbstreit tweeted. “Next week we find out what’s up-last chance to get in front of Chip and the Bruins.”

David Pollack had a quick response to his co-host’s taunting.

“Big win vs Hawaii,” Pollack posted. “Next week will let us know if they for real for real! LSU football [is] coming!”

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Chip Kelly has struggled so far at UCLA, holding a 10-21 record in his first three seasons, including a 3-4 finish last season. Kirk Herbstreit said Saturday he thinks the tides will turn for the Kelly and the UCLA Bruins this season.

“UCLA is going to be a surprise team,” he said. “I’m telling you right now, everyone is going to go from questioning Chip Kelly to saying, ‘There’s Chip Kelly.”

Kelly saw success in his first Pac-12 job, leading Oregon to a cumulative 46-7 record in four seasons from 2009-2012. While at Oregon, Kelly had a win and a loss in the Rose Bowl, a win in the Fiesta Bowl and a loss to Auburn in the 2010 BCS Championship game. He accepted the UCLA job in November of 2017.

Kelly will have an experienced Bruins team in 2021, as Herbstreit continues to note, but perhaps no piece is more important in UCLA’s success than quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Herbstreit says the senior quarterback — entering his third season as starter — can lead Kelly and the Bruins to success.

“I’m going to make a prediction right now for UCLA: fourth year for Chip Kelly. 20 starters coming back. You mentioned the quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a guy who’s making his 25th start, he’s got experience,” Herbstreit said. “This is a team that lost all four of its [2020] losses by six points or less, UCLA is going to become a story this year, and this quarterback is going to become a story.”

Herbstreit begged his College Gameday co-hosts David Pollack, Desmond Howard and Rece Davis to join him in supporting the Bruins this season.

“Say it now before you start getting on the bandwagon in a couple of weeks.”

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