Posts Tagged ‘LSU Tigers’

2014 NCAA Week 11 Line Breakdown

November 5th, 2014 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2014 NCAA Week 11 Line Breakdown

Week 11 of the 2014 college football season is upon us. Here are some of the marquee matchups and the lines for the upcoming weekend of action, courtesy of JustBet Sportsbook. All NCAA football bettors and sports fans will get their fill of quality action this weekend as there are quite a few interesting matchups on tap in the SEC, Big 12, and PAC-12, and Big Ten conference.

Thursday, November 6th

#21 Clemson (-21, 42.5) at Wake Forest 7:30 PM ESPN

The #21 rank Clemson Tigers travel to Winston–Salem North Carolina to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Clemson has won five games in a row, while Wake Forest has lost four in a row, but have been competitive in some of those losses.

Saturday, November 8th

#12 Baylor at #15 Oklahoma (-6, 73) 12:00 PM FOX Sports 1

The #12 ranked Baylor Bears travel to Norman, Oklahoma to take on the #15 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in what could be a high scoring Big 12 conference affair. Baylor won last year’s tilt 41–12 in Waco.

#10 Notre Dame at #9 Arizona State (-2.5, 60) 3:30 PM ABC

#10 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish will look to stay in the hunt for a national championship playoff berth when they had to Tempe, Arizona to take on the #9 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils. The Sun Devils survived last Saturday with a 16–13 overtime victory over Utah.

#23 West Virginia (-3, 51.5) at Texas 3:30 PM FOX Sports 1

The #23 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers travel to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns. The Mountaineers will be looking to rebound from a heartbreaking 31–30 loss to TCU. The Longhorns got back into the win column last Saturday defeating Texas Tech 34-13.

Virginia at #2 Florida State (-20, 55.5) 6:30 PM ESPN

Florida State escaped defeat with a 42–31 win over Louisville last Thursday. They’ll face another stout defense in Virginia who will be looking to rebound off a 35–10 loss to Georgia Tech last Saturday.

#7 Kansas State at #6 TCU 7:30 PM FOX

The tough tests for #6 ranked TCU seems like it never ends. They’ll take on their fifth ranked opponent in six weeks when they take on the #7 ranked Kansas State Wildcats, whose only loss was at the hands of #3 ranked Auburn.

#5 Alabama at (-6.5, 45.5) #16 LSU 8:00 PM CBS

The #5 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide take on the #16 ranked LSU Tigers from death Valley in Baton Rouge. These two teams have had memorable games in the past and with the way both teams are playing, this year should be no different.

#14 Ohio State at #8 Michigan State (-3.5, 57.5) 8:00 PM ABC

The #14 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes travel to East Lansing to take on the #8 ranked Michigan State Spartans in a key Big Ten clash. The Spartans defeated the buckeyes in the Big Ten championship last season 34–24.

#4 Oregon (-8, 60) at #17 Utah   10:00 PM ESPN

The #4 ranked Oregon Ducks got the monkey off their back last Saturday with a dominating win over Stanford. They will now have to refocus as they travel to Salt Lake City to take on the #17 ranked Utah Utes, who have one of the best defensive lines in the country.

2014 NCAA Week 6 Line Breakdown

October 1st, 2014 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2014 NCAA Week 6 Line Breakdown

Week 6 of the 2014 college football season is upon us. Here are some of the marquee matchups and the lines for the upcoming weekend of action, courtesy of JustBet Sportsbook. All NCAA football bettors and sports fans will get their fill of quality action this weekend as there are quite a few interesting matchups on tap, including 3 SEC conference matchups with huge national championship implications.

Thursday, September 2nd

Arizona at #2 Oregon (-23) 10:30 PM (EST) ESPN

The Oregon Ducks will be looking for revenge when they host the Arizona Wildcats from Autzen Stadium in Eugene, OR. The Wildcats shocked the Ducks last year, upsetting them 42-16.

Friday, October 3rd

Louisville (-2.5) at Syracuse 7:00 PM (EST) ESPN

The Louisville Cardinals with head to upstate New York to take on the Syracuse Orange. This will mark the first time the two schools have met in ACC play.

Saturday, October 4th

#6 Texas A&M at #12 Mississippi State (-1.5) 12:00 PM (EST) ESPN

The #6 ranked Texas A&M Aggies take on the #12 ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs in a pivotal SEC matchup. The Aggies are coming off a 35-28 overtime win over Arkansas, while the Bulldogs had a bye week last weekend, and were last seen winning in Baton Rouge, defeating LSU 34-29.

#20 Ohio State at Maryland 12:00 PM (EST) ABC

The Maryland Terrapins, a new comer to the Big Ten, will look to make it 3 straight wins when they host the #20 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Maryland got a nice road win in Indiana last Saturday, while the Buckeyes defeated Cincinnati 50-28.

#3 Alabama (-6) at #11 Ole Miss 3:30 PM (EST) CBS

The #11 Ole Miss Rebels will host the #3 Alabama Crimson Tide in a highly anticipated SEC contest.

It will most likely be the biggest game in recent history for #11 Mississippi when they host #3 ranked Alabama. Alabama handled the Rebels last season, winning 25-0 in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide were idle last weekend, while Ole Miss defeated Memphis 24-3.

#4 Oklahoma (-4) at #25 TCU 3:30 PM (EST) FOX

The #4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners are ranked 25th in the country in total offense. That offense will be tested when they take on #25 ranked TCU, who are second in the nation in total defense, allowing just 2187.y yards per contest.

#14 Stanford (-1.5) at #9 Notre Dame 3:30 PM (EST) NBC

The Notre Dame fighting Irish will face their stiffest test this season when they host the #14 ranked Stanford Cardinal. The two teams are in the top 5 in scoring defense, with Stanford at #1 (6.5 ppg) and Notre Dame at #4 (11.5).

#15 LSU at #5 Auburn (-8.5) 7:00 PM (EST) ESPN

The #15 ranked LSU Tigers take on the #5 Auburn Tigers in a key SEC contest. Both teams had a relatively easy test in week 5, with LSU defeating New Mexico St. 63-7 and Auburn defeating Louisiana Tech 45-17.

Arizona State at #16 USC (-11.5) 7:30 PM (EST) FOX

Arizona State will try to rebound from their 62-27 loss to UCLA when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the #16 ranked USC Trojans. USC got back on track last weekend with a 35-10 win over Oregon State.

#19 Nebraska at #10 Michigan State (-8) 8:00 PM (EST) FOX

The #10 ranked Michigan State Spartans have been flat out dominant since their loss to Oregon in week 2. They’ll have a chance to continue their impressive run when they host the #19 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers, who are the only undefeated team in the Big Ten conference.

2014 NCAAFB Week 4 Line Breakdown

September 17th, 2014 by Chad A. Dawkins | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on 2014 NCAAFB Week 4 Line Breakdown

Week 4 of the 2014 college football season is upon us. Here are some of the marquee matchups and the lines for the upcoming weekend of action, courtesy of JustBet. All NCAA football bettors and sports fans will get their fill of quality action this weekend as there are quite a few interesting matchups on tap.

#5 Auburn (-9) at #20 Kansas State 7:30 PM ESPN

The #20 ranked Kansas State wildcats will need to be at the top of their game when they host the #5 ranked Auburn Tigers. Kansas State has had 2 weeks to prepare, and they’ll need it as Auburn is averaging 330 yards per game on the ground.

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech  (-8) 12:00 PM ESPN

Virginia Tech was riding high after their upset win at Ohio State. They came back down to earth last weekend after a 28-21 upset loss to East Carolina. The Virginia Tech defense will now have to focus as they have the triple option attack of Georgia Tech to deal with.

Florida at #3 Alabama (-14) 3:30 PM CBS

The Florida Gators head to Tuscaloosa to take on the #3 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Florida escaped with a 36-30 win in triple overtime. The Crimson Tide has taken care of business since being tested by West Virginia in week 1, winning their last 2 games by a combined score of 93-10.

Virginia at #21 BYU (-15) 3:30 PM ESPN

The Virginia Cavaliers, fresh off their upset win of Louisville, will head to Provo, Utah to take on Taysom Hill and the #20 ranked BYU Cougars. This game will feature two of the better defensive units in the nation.

Jameis Winston passed for 444 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 51-14 win at Clemson last season

Mississippi State at #8 LSU 7:00 PM ESPN

The Mississippi State Bulldogs will have upset on their mind when they take on LSU from Baton Rouge, LA. LSU’s defense has not given up a score since their win against Wisconsin, and will look to replicate the 59-26 drubbing that they dealt the Bulldogs last year.

 

#4 Oklahoma (-7) at West Virginia 7:30 PM FOX

In what should be one of the better games of the weekend, the #4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners head to Morgantown to take on the improved West Virginia Mountaineers. It should be a stiff road test for the Sooners, as they will be in a hostile environment. Oklahoma won last year’s meeting 16-7, in Norman.

#22 Clemson at #1 Florida State  (-20) 8:00 PM ABC

Last year the Florida State Seminoles put the rest of college football on notice as they dominated Clemson on the Tigers’ home turf 51-14. The Tigers will need a better effort than what they showed in week 1, or it could result in the same outcome in Tallahassee.

Miami (FL) at #24 Nebraska (-7) 8:00 PM ESPN

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have been somewhat inconsistent this season. They had an impressive 55-7 win in week 1, and then needed a miracle play in week 2 to defeat McNeese State. The Miami Hurricanes should provide a stiff test, as they’ve looked a lot better in the past two weeks compared to their road opener loss to Louisville.

 

LSU vs. Clemson Predictions & Analysis: 2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl 12/31

December 30th, 2012 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on LSU vs. Clemson Predictions & Analysis: 2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl 12/31
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Chick-Fil-A Bowl 2012The 2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl picks are going to be difficult to make, as the LSU Tigers and Clemson Tigers are set to do battle with one another in a SEC vs. ACC battle. Check out our Chick-Fil-A Bowl predictions and the keys to the game for LSU vs. Clemson.

Click Here For The Rest Of The 2012-13 Bowl Game Schedule And Other Bowl Game Previews

2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl: LSU Tigers vs. Clemson Tigers
2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl Date/Time: Monday, December 31st, 7:30 p.m. (ET)
2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl Television Coverage: ESPN, Watch ESPN

Key #1: LSU has to figure out how to get over last year’s debacle
The Tigers were the undefeated No. 1 team in the country last year when they laid the biggest egg of the season when they were beaten 21-0 by the Alabama Crimson Tide. Head Coach Les Miles has done remarkably well in bowl games historically, and the team is 11-4 since 1995 in bowl games. Last year’s loss was a blip on the radar, though a big blip at that, knowing that it cost the team a shot at winning the whole enchilada, and it came against an arch rival. This year’s game against Alabama was also lost, and the moniker is starting to build that this team can’t win the biggest of the big games. Though a number of the players on both sides of the ball that are gone from last year’s team, but there are plenty that are still here as well. There has to be a chip on the shoulder of this team, knowing not just that it was beaten last year, but that it was left out of a BCS bowl game this year as well in spite of its 10-2 season.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl Odds at Diamond Sportsbook
LSU Tigers -6
Clemson Tigers +6
Over/Under 59
Click Here to Bet Your Chick-Fil-A Bowl Picks!

Key #2: Tajh Boyd needs to come up big in the big time game
We have already spoken about what LSU has to bring to the table in this one and the chip that it is carrying on its shoulders, but there is probably even more weight on the shoulders of QB Tajh Boyd as well. Boyd had a great senior season, throwing for 3,550 yards and 34 TDs and rushing for 492 yards and nine TDs. However, when you look back at the last three games that he has played against SEC teams, the results haven’t been pretty. In those three games, two of which were lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks and one that was won against the Auburn Tigers, Boyd completed 52.8 percent of his passes for an average of 158.0 yards per game with three touchdowns and four picks. He also had 61 rushing yards and a TD in those games as well. The bottom line for the Clemson quarterback though, is that he only averaged helping his team put up 18.7 points per game in those outings, and that just isn’t good enough at any level. For a man that put up such remarkable stats over the course of his career, it’s shocking that he has really never beaten a big time team. In the last two years, he has two losses to South Carolina, a bad loss to Florida State in which the offense pulled every gimmick out of the books, and a 70-33 loss to the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Orange Bowl. If there is a man that needs a win to validate his career, Boyd is the man.

Key #3: The Bayou Bengals have to be careful with their special teams
It’s not all that often that you say that a punter is the man that might be the difference in a game, but with P Brad Wing, that clearly has to be the case. Wing has been sent home from Hot ‘Lanta, and that takes away one of the best special teams weapons in the entire country. Wing averaged 44.8 yards per punt this year, and he uncorked just a ton of huge bombs. On top of that, he also rarely gets punts returned against him, if reserve P Jamie Keehn can’t do the same, there are going to be some openings for WR Sammy Watkins and WR Adam Humphries, both of which have the ability to be tremendously explosive return men. Even if the defense does the job and the offense gets some points on the board, it could be frightening for the Tigers to have to punt the ball without Wing out there.

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College Football Top 25 Games of 2012: #13 LSU @ Florida 10/6/12

October 6th, 2012 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on College Football Top 25 Games of 2012: #13 LSU @ Florida 10/6/12
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2012 Top 25 College Football Games of the Year
#13 LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators

LSU (-2.5) @ Florida

LSU FootballThe Florida Gators and the LSU Tigers both have rich histories of late that include a number of appearances in the BCS National Championship Game. The Bayou Bengals might be contenders again this year, but we just don’t see the Gators being able to play that same role in spite of the fact that they are on the verge of being in the Top 10 in the nation. However, for LSU to be BCS bound once again, it is likely going to have to go into the Swamp and avoid the upset against a UF team that will be playing in one of its biggest games of the entire season. Our LSU vs. Florida picks are second to none here at Bankroll Sports, and we have our first look at this college football matchup in our Top 25 games of the 2012 season.

LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Picks & Info
LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Date: Saturday, October 6th
LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL
LSU Tigers @ Florida Gators Spread: LSU Tigers -2.5

Losing DB Tyrann Mathieu really is hurting the LSU defense, which really still is one of the best in the nation this year. The unit is still great, knowing that DE Sam Montgomery is an All-American, and he is joined by a heck of a lot of returning defensive linemen. This unit has absolutely crippled the Florida offense in recent years, especially last season when the unit just had zip going without QB John Brantley in the fold. The offense is going to be up in the air for sure with a true freshman in QB Zach Mettenberger under center, but the offensive line should be strong once again, and the backfield is just loaded. Expect to see a lot out of RB Spencer Ware, especially in this one, knowing that Head Coach Les Miles is going to want to take good care of the football against a normally very opportunistic defense.

LSU Tigers vs. Florida Gators Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: LSU 41 – Florida 11
2010: LSU 33 – Florida 29
2009: Florida 13 – LSU 3
2008: Florida 51 – LSU 21
2007: LSU 28 – Florida 24
2006: Florida 23 – LSU 10
2005: LSU 21 – Florida 17
2004: LSU 24 – Florida 21
2003: Florida 19 – LSU 7
2002: LSU 36 – Florida 7
2001: Florida 44 – LSU 5
2000: Florida 41 – LSU 9
1999: Florida 31 – LSU 10
1998: Florida 22 – LSU 10
1997: LSU 28 – Florida 21
1996: Florida 56 – LSU 13
1995: Florida 28 – LSU 10

The bottom line for Florida in this game is that QB Jeff Driskel (and maybe QB Jacoby Brissett) just has to do better than it did last year in this game. Missing RBs Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey won’t hurt all that much in relation to last year as the LSU defense was just too quick for them to use their speed to get to the outside. The question is going to be where that offense is coming from though, with so many pieces to the puzzle already gone from a unit that has been suspect at best since QB Tim Tebow graduated. RB Mike Gillislee has had a great start to the season, but he has never faced a defense that has this much talent. Defensively, there is definitely a lot here to work with for Head Coach Will Muschamp. He is a defensive specialist for sure, and with 10 returning starters and a lot of depth working its way into the regular rotation, there is no reason to believe that LSU will be able to put anywhere near the 41 points on the board that it did a campaign ago in the Bayou.

LSU @ Florida Free Picks^^: This could be a massive statement of a game for the Gators. This is a perfectly placed game, right in the middle of the season as it normally is. UF should be riding high with confidence at this point, and we think that it will be a lot closer to a pick ’em by the time this game kicks off. As it is, the college football point spread has dropped from 4.5 to 2.5. Florida is good enough to pull off the upset in what could be the signature win of Coach Muschamp’s career to date. Even if the Gators don’t get the job done, 4.5 points at the open might ultimately be the difference between a cover and a failure. This is one of the toughest calls for the entire college football season.

^^Note: This is a college football prediction that is made as of August 2012, and it does not reflect the opinions that our expert NCAA Football handicappers will have on this game. This article by our very talented sports blog staff is for entertainment and informational purposes only. If you would like to purchase our premium college football picks for the year, please Click Here

Our NCAA football expert handicappers will have their LSU @ Florida picks on Saturday, 10/6/2012.

Top 25 NCAA Football Matchups: #1 Alabama @ LSU 11/3/12

August 19th, 2012 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on Top 25 NCAA Football Matchups: #1 Alabama @ LSU 11/3/12
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2012 Top 25 College Football Games of the Year
#1 Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers

Alabama @ LSU (-3.5)

Alabama vs. LSUOver the course of the last few weeks, we here at Bankroll Sports have counted down the Top 25 college football matchups. The first 24 games were awfully difficult to be able to place, but there has never been a doubt as to what the top game on the docket would be. The LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide clashes in two absolutely amazing games last year, including in the BCS National Championship Game. Almost a full year later, the two are going to meet again, and they are likely to once again be meeting as two of the top teams in the entire country. Don’t miss what should be the most highly anticipated NCAA football matchup of the season, as we make our LSU vs. Alabama picks for the biggest clash of the year.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Picks & Info
Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Date: Saturday, November 3rd
Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Alabama Crimson Tide @ LSU Tigers Spread: LSU Tigers -2.5

We have spoken a ton about Alabama in this countdown of our Top 25 college football games of the year. QB AJ McCarron is going to be one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC this year, and he is going to have a great team in front of him once again. Last year, the Tide came into this battle with the Bayou Bengals with a ton of experience. The bad news is that LB Dont’a Hightower and LB Courtney Upshaw are gone, as are a slew of other starters from a campaign ago. The problems in the kicking game clearly haven’t been fixed, and that could come back and really hurt the team this time around as well. Remember that if Head Coach Nick Saban had a solid kicker, the Tide would have ran the table and finished the year with a 14-0 mark, and Alabama would have been known as arguably the best team of all-time. This year, there definitely isn’t that threat that this could be the best team ever, but being a National Championship contender definitely isn’t out of the question. However, losing this game would not just cost the Tide a shot at the title, but once again at the SEC West, too.

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. LSU Tigers Past Games (Since 1995)
2012: Alabama 21 – LSU 0 (BCS National Championship Game)
2011: LSU 9 – Alabama 6
2010: LSU 24 – Alabama 21
2009: Alabama 24 – LSU 15
2008: Alabama 27 – LSU 21
2007: LSU 41 – Alabama 34
2006: LSU 28 – Alabama 14
2005: LSU 16 – Alabama 13
2004: LSU 26 – Alabama 10
2003: LSU 27 – Alabama 3
2002: Alabama 31 – LSU 0
2001: LSU 35 – Alabama 21
2000: LSU 30 – Alabama 28
1999: Alabama 23 – LSU 17
1998: Alabama 22 – LSU 16
1997: LSU 27 – Alabama 0
1996: Alabama 26 – LSU 0

Meanwhile, LSU was the team that did run the table in the regular season last year, and had it not put forth a total dud in January, it would have been known as the greatest team ever. Once again, this is going to be one of the best defenses in the nation, and that’s in spite of the fact that DB Tyrann Mathieu, last year’s Heisman Trophy finalist and DB Mo Claiborne are gone from the team. Head Coach Les Miles always finds way to replenish his team in a hurry though, and there aren’t all that many years in which t Bayou Bengals aren’t one of the Top 10 teams in the land. QB Zach Mettenberger is going to be the man that has to take over this offense, and he can’t possibly score any fewer touchdowns than QB Jordan Jefferson and QB Jarrett Lee did last year in two starts against the Tide. Look for the big time stable of running backs to try to do it all against Alabama. That was the recipe last year in this game when these two teams met in Tuscaloosa, and it is going to surely be the recipe once again if the Tigers are to roar loudly and get the job done in the biggest game of the season.

Alabama @ LSU Free Picks^^: We know that this is going to be the biggest game of the college football season, and it should live up to that billing. Both of these defenses are going to be excellent once again, and there is just no reason to think that there is going to be anything but a struggle for both offenses no matter how many returners that are on both sides. The two games last year featured a combined 36 points, and though we do think that we are going to see some touchdowns, we know that they are going to be few and far between. In the end, just as LSU was able to go on the road and win this fixture, we think that the Crimson Tide are going to repay the favor in Baton Rouge in the biggest game of the year.

^^Disclaimer: Our college football picks by our sports blog writers are independent of those from our Expert NCAA Football Handicappers. All NCAA football odds and lines in our Top 25 are from the month of August, and those lines could and likely will change by the time the game kicks off.

You won’t want to miss our Alabama @ LSU picks when our expert college football handicappers have them posted on the week of 11/3/12.

Top 25 NCAA Football Matchups: #6 LSU @ Arkansas 11/23/12

August 19th, 2012 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist) | Posted in College Football   Comments Off on Top 25 NCAA Football Matchups: #6 LSU @ Arkansas 11/23/12
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2012 Top 25 College Football Games of the Year
#6 LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks

LSU (-3.5) @ Arkansas

LSU vs. ArkansasThe LSU Tigers and the Arkansas Razorbacks play against each other every single season, and they have always have something special on the line. This one is played the day after Thanksgiving every year, and though things are changing in the SEC, at least this SEC West clash isn’t changing. The Hogs and the Bayou Bengals have had some great battles over the years, last year of which was definitely no exception when they were ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the nation. This could be the same sort of game this year, though both of these teams feel like they have taken a step backwards. This clash in Fayetteville could be a great college football matchup, and that’s why this is one of our Top 25 NCAA football games of the year.

LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Picks & Info
LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Date: Friday, November 23rd
LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Location: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, AR
LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks Spread: LSU Tigers -3.5

The Tigers know that they are going to have one of the best defenses in the country this year, not that that is all that much of an exception from last year. The ‘D’ really didn’t have a bad game last year at all. In the end, it was the offense that failed LSU in the BCS National Championship Game and cost it the season. Now, both of the top corners from last year are gone, and that could be a bit problematic. We know that the Bayou Bengals might have some issues offensively, too. QB Zach Mettenberger is going to be leading the team on the field to start this season, and odds have it, he’ll still be the man that has to stick around with one of the most efficient offenses in the nation. RB Spencer Ware is going to be carrying the ball a ton, and there are going to be a lot of other backs that see the rock as well.

LSU Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks Past Games (Since 1995)
2011: LSU 41 – Arkansas 17
2010: Arkansas 31 – LSU 23
2009: LSU 33 – Arkansas 30
2008: Arkansas 31 – LSU 30
2007: Arkansas 50 – LSU 48
2006: LSU 31 –Arkansas 26
2005: LSU 19 – Arkansas 17
2004: LSU 43 – Arkansas 14
2003: LSU 55 – Arkansas 24
2002: Arkansas 21 – LSU 20
2001: LSU 41 – Arkansas 38
2000: Arkansas 14 – LSU 3
1999: LSU 35 – Arkansas 10
1998: Arkansas 41 – LSU 14
1997: LSU 31 – Arkansas 21
1996: LSU 17 – Arkansas 7
1995: LSU 28 – Arkansas 0

The Hogs had their chance last year at the BCS National Championship Game, and though they ran through the rest of their schedule to 11 wins without a defeat, they weren’t able to take down either LSU or Alabama, and they quite frankly didn’t come close on either account. This year, the game against the Bayou Bengals is going to be at home, where Arkansas doesn’t lose all that often, and that is going to make this all the more special of a game, especially after last year’s beat down in Baton Rouge. QB Tyler Wilson has to remember what it was like going against the LSU defense, which totally shut him down and held the Razorbacks down to just 17 points, and he has to know that he is going to have to do more than that to win this game this year. His receivers should be fine by the time this one kicks off, unlike the problems that could come early in the year against Alabama. Defensively, the Hogs aren’t going to be allowing 41 points in this game again, and that should make matters all the more palatable for Wilson and this offense as well.

LSU @ Arkansas Free Picks^^: There are a few things that we really have to consider here when we back Arkansas. For starters, this game is in Fayetteville, where the Hogs have won back to back games against the Bayou Bengals. Secondly, and perhaps as important as anything else, if you take away last year’s game, six straight meetings were decided by eight points or fewer, and four of those six were decided by three points or fewer. Needless to say, that means that we are going to want these points on our side, and we think that we are going to have the team that can win this game outright as well.

^^Disclaimer: Our college football picks by our sports blog writers are independent of those from our Expert NCAA Football Handicappers. All NCAA football odds and lines in our Top 25 are from the month of August, and those lines could and likely will change by the time the game kicks off.

You won’t want to miss our LSU @ Arkansas picks when our expert college football handicappers have them posted on the week of 11/23/12.