Paul Mainieri gets one final chance on the field

Last Friday when LSU coach Paul Mainieri announced his retirement effective at the end of the 2021 season, he did not know if there would be another game on the schedule.

Following a Southeastern Conference play-in loss to Georgia three days earlier, the Tigers became your typical bubble team. LSU finished with a 34-22 record with a RPI in the 20s. However, the Tigers had a losing record against SEC teams – five games below .500 at 13-18.