LSU imposing bowl ban on itself in a hilarious move

After playing in the CFP National Championship Game last year, the LSU Tigers are pulling themselves out of bowl game contention.

A little less than a year ago, the LSU Tigers were crowned CFP National Champions after Joe Burrow and company handily defeated the Trevor Lawrence-led Clemson Tigers down in New Orleans. After a mass exodus of talent to the NFL and a bevy of opt-outs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 LSU team was having an extremely difficult time replicating its success from 2019.

On Wednesday, the LSU Athletic Department announced that the university has self-imposed a bowl game ban for this season due to NCAA violations.

LSU releases statement on the decision

"“LSU has informed the NCAA and SEC that it will self-impose a one-year postseason ban on its football program for the 2020-21 bowl season, in addition to self-imposed sanctions already declared. LSU leadership made this decision after careful deliberation and review of the NCAA rules violations that have been discovered in the University’s cooperative investigation with the NCAA and IARP. This decision reflects LSU’s commitment to compliance with NCAA regulations and maintenance of institutional control. We regret the impact that this decision has on our current student-athletes, but we make it in the best interest of the football program and University. LSU will continue to cooperate with the NCAA and IARP throughout the enforcement process.”"

The decision by LSU to sit out of bowl season stems from the aforementioned Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) investigation, which looked into three separate violations. Those included:

• LSU booster John Paul Funes embezzling more than half a million dollars from the Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, where $180,000 went to the father of former offensive lineman Vadal Alexander for what the NCAA determined was a “no-show” job between 2012 and 2017.
• NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. filmed handing money out to LSU players following their National Championship win earlier this year. The university said it totaled $2,000.
• Head coach Ed Orgeron making an “impermissible recruiting contact” to a prospect in 2019.

The expectation was that the NCAA would eventually come down with a postseason ban based off these infractions.

Even though LSU is sitting at an uncharacteristic 3-5 this season, they still would have been eligible for bowl games. In fact, bowls are allowed to invite whichever programs they want, regardless of record. However, LSU’s decision to inform the NCAA and the SEC that they are not accepting any invitations to bowl games at 3-5 is still objectively hilarious.

This will be the first time that the LSU Tigers haven’t played in a bowl game since 1999, which happened to be the last time the program had a losing record. LSU will finish out their season against No. 6 Florida and Ole Miss in the next two weeks.

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