This week's Tiger meltdown inspired me to do a little statistical research. All statistical analysis seems to be biased of course so no I didn't go back into the hay day of the 1950s and 1960s, but I did go a back a generation, which I define as 25 years, and found some interesting results. For context I will compare these categories to another Mystery SEC school over the same period. The period is the 25 seasons prior to Nick Saban taking the reins at LSU, 1975-1999.

W/L/T

Louisiana State: 158-122-7

Mystery School: 142-138-3

Win Percentage

Louisiana State: .564

Mystery School: .507

Average Regular Season Record

Louisiana State: 6-5

Mystery School: 6-5

Total Winning Seasons (Defined as Finishing Regular Season Above .500

Louisiana State: 14

Mystery School: 12

Bowl Appearances

Louisiana State: 13

Mystery School: 7

SEC Championships (Before Divisional Format Began in 1992)

Louisiana State: 2

Mystery School: 0

SEC Division Championships (After Divisional Format Began in 1992)

Louisiana State: 0

Mystery School: 1

Neither School won an SEC Championship after Divisional Play began.

The head to head record between the schools was 14-11 in favor of LSU and of course, as all of you figured out quickly, the Mystery School was Mississippi State University.

Because it is universally accepted that poor little MSU is a perennial lower tier SEC school and seems to be the unwavering barometer by which every one else is measured (you know...down year and stuff. Cough. Ahem. BS) it seemed only fitting to compare Louisiana State University's football performance over the quarter century prior to the Reign of Saban to that of Mississippi State University. No question that LSU looks a smidgen better over that period, but the gap is small. The days of being an elite powerhouse had long since been left behind when Saban became the LSU head football coach. This had not been an elite program for at least a generation. The Saban Effect lasted his tenure (2000-2004) plus another 4-7 seven years, depending on how you look at it. Now they are back to normal and although their situation of being the only game in town in their state is more desirable and does help recruit itself to some degree, they will be not be unbeatable/elite and all that crap until an elite coach comes along.

This is LSU without Saban. It is still a better situation than ours but not by much.