LSU Favored to Beat Mississippi State in SEC Showdown

What: LSU vs Mississippi State - College Football Week 3
When: Saturday, September 16th, 12 PM ET
Where: Davis Wade Stadium

Online college football betting is a must in Saturday's intriguing SEC clash between LSU and Mississippi State. The kick-off is scheduled for 12 PM ET at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. This is the first conference game for both teams. The Tigers are 1-1 thus far, dropping their opener in embarrassing fashion to Florida State by a score of 45-24. That brought a lot of heat on head coach Brian Kelly, but they managed to respond with a massive 72-10 win over Grambling State in Week 2. M-State presents another tall task, though. The Bulldogs meanwhile haven't lost, defeating Southeastern Louisiana and then Arizona in overtime last weekend. They haven't really been tested yet, to be frank. Below, find the LSU vs Mississippi State picks.

Before we get into the odds and analysis as to who could come out on top this Saturday, make sure to check out our reviews of the top online sportsbooks.

LSU vs Mississippi State Odds

Team
LSU	-350	-370	-350
Mississippi State	+280	+285	+280

The Tigers are a big favorite here with -350 moneyline odds for an implied win probability of 77.78%. The Bulldogs come back at +280 and have a mere 26.32% chance of taking this one on the road. As for the spread, LSU is laying 9.5 points. The total is set at 54 points. When it comes to recent meetings, this is a classic rivalry. LSU is 74-38-3 all-time and has won four of the last five, including a 31-16 win in 2022 in Baton Rouge.

LSU Needs to Keep it Rolling

Brian Kelly and Co. were put on blast after their disappointing performance against Florida State but thankfully, LSU silenced the doubters for the time being with the win versus Grambling State. The #14 ranked Tigers put up a whopping 72 points on a much weaker opponent, with quarterback Jaylen Daniels absolutely balling out. The Arizona State transfer completed 18 of 24 passes for an impressive five touchdowns while also rushing for more than five yards per carry.

In fact, the running game was fantastic. Six different backs put in work, led by Logan Diggs who had 115 yards rushing and a touchdown. Kaleb Jackson also had two scores and 62 yards in total. Out wide, Daniels linked up with a plethora of targets but Brian Thomas saw the most touches, reeling in six catches for 78 yards and two TDs.

The Tigers have barely ever lost to Mississippi State in Starkville, winning 10 of the last 12 road matchups. The Bulldogs defense wasn't exactly great against Arizona and Daniels is certainly capable of making their life a living hell. LSU has a great chance of moving to 2-1 and continuing their dominance of M-State.

Mississippi State Will Rely on Run Game

Former Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach sadly passed away last year, which means Zach Arnett is now in charge. That means the offense has changed from pass-heavy to run-heavy. That being said, LSU hasn't shown a lot defensively quite yet, especially downfield. Perhaps Mississippi State looks to expose its secondary.

Quarterback Will Rogers wasn't too busy on Saturday against the Wildcats but he was efficient. The signal-caller completed 13 of 17 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns. In fact, Arizona's passing offense completely outplayed the Bulldogs. Thankfully, the RB room was productive with 145 rushing yards to just 91 for Arizona.

Jo'Quavious Marks was a beast, rushing for 123 yards on 24 carries for a touchdown. He accounted for most of their damage on the ground. The real bright spot in this contest however was the M-State defense, which forced five turnovers. Three interceptions were clutch. The defense has to be sharp again on Saturday because the offense is definitely LSU's strong suit. That being said, Rogers also must get it going a lot more if the Bulldogs are to secure a victory. Considering the Tigers' defense has yet to really shine, Rogers has an opportunity to take advantage.

LSU vs Mississippi State picks

Playing in Starkville is also a benefit for Mississippi State, especially in a rivalry game. Something tells me Rogers and Co. will play a lot better on Saturday, too. Will they win? It's questionable. But, the spread seems a bit steep to me. Plus, the Bulldogs went 9-4 ATS in 2022. That's enough reason to hammer take them against the spread once again in Week 3.

Mississippi State ATS Vs LSU

+9.5 (-105)

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