No. 17 Florida Gators at No. 1 LSU Tigers (-14), Total 41.5 |
Florida hits the road for the second time this season and will face the top-ranked team in the country. The Gators are coming off their first loss of the season, a 38-10 defeat toe the Alabama Crimson Tide as 3.5-point home underdogs.
The program has a history of success in this series, posting a 30-24-3 mark, including a 16-13 edge on the Tigers home field.
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Florida head coach Will Muschamp, who spent 29 games on the sidelines as an assistant coach at LSU.
Both teams enter in the top 10 nationally in total defense, as the Gators are allowing 258.6 yards per game. Offensively, Florida ranks second in the SEC in rushing and is tied for fourth in total offense.
True freshman quarterback Jeff Driskel will be making his first career start, as John Brantley will be unable to go due to a leg injury that knocked him out of last week’s game. He completed 2-of-6 passes for 14 yards.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in him,” commented Gators running back Chris Rainey. “He’ll be ready to go, ready to take that challenge.”
Overall, Florida first-year head coaches are 12-24 when facing ranked opponents.
sportsbook bettors will find that the Gators are 20-15 ATS as an underdog, but 0-3 in that situation the last two-plus seasons.
LSU puts its perfect record on the line Saturday and has won seven consecutive SEC games at home. The Tigers are 15-3 all-time in games played as the nation’s No. 1 team.
Many people around the country are waiting to see the Tigers’ No. 2 defense take on Alabama, a contest that is a month away. Offensively, the team is scoring 38 points a game and gaining 349.6 total yards.
Quarterback Jarrett Lee has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 793 yards, seven touchdowns and just a single interception. Last week saw the return of Jordan Jefferson, who was expected to be the starter until being suspended, as he scored on his first play back.
“We will use Jefferson in a variety of ways,” commented Tigers head coach Les Miles. “At different times in the season, we will need every skill and every collective attribute of the team.”
LSU has forced 12 turnovers this year and the Tigers have scored points off of those turnovers nine times, including eight touchdowns. The defense has also held opponents scoreless in 15 of 20 quarters this year.
Bettors will find that the Tigers are 1-4 ATS as a favorite of 10.5 to 21 points, while the ‘over’ is 14-10 in that situation.
