Two losses in their first four games pushed the LSU Tigers out of the College Football Playoff picture and cost Les Miles his job. The team has since won a pair of games and hopes to keep the turnaround going in a Week 8 matchup with the Ole Miss Rebels.
LSU hasn’t played up to expectations after entering the season as one of the highest-rated teams in the country, but hopes to move to 5-2 heading into a showdown with No. 1 Alabama next week.
Ole Miss has lost three close games to ranked teams this season. The Rebels have shown the ability to hang against top competition and will aim to pull the road upset.
Watch this regular season Week 8 matchup live on Saturday, October 22, 2016, at 9 p.m. ET at Tiger Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Ole Miss +4
LSU -4
Odds Analysis
The spread looks accurate early on, as Ole Miss is getting a little bit more backing but not by an overwhelming amount. Fifty-four percent of the action currently is on the Rebels to cover.
The scoring total will be an interesting one. Ole Miss is dynamic offensively, but LSU plays in lower-scoring affairs. The oddsmakers could have a tough time pegging the right over/under, so check back later in the week for that one.
Injury Report
LSU running back Leonard Fournette hasn’t played since running for 101 yards against Auburn on Sept. 24. He has been dealing with an ankle sprain which kept him out against Missouri and Southern Mississippi.
Coach Ed Orgeron believes Fournette will make his return against Ole Miss, and his presence would be huge. Fournette’s Heisman Trophy hopes seem all but extinguished after a slow start to the season but he is still one of the most talented backs in college football and could play a large role in this contest.
Fournette has carried the ball 67 times for 386 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the season after rushing for 1,953 yards and 22 touchdowns a year ago.
Player to Watch
Chad Kelly - The LSU defense has been really impressive this season, allowing only 14 points per game, which is fourth nationally. However, it will get a tough test when Kelly, Ole Miss’s star quarterback, comes to town.
He is 133-of-213 for 1,849 yards on the season, tossing 14 touchdowns against five interceptions. While he’s not the most fleet of foot, Kelly used his legs last time out, running 14 times for 89 yards and a pair of scores in a loss to Arkansas.
Kelly has shown his ability against some elite defenses, throwing for 421 yards and three touchdowns when Ole Miss gave Alabama a scare earlier in the season. The Tigers have only allowed 208.3 passing yards per game, so it will be a good matchup of strengths.
Free ATS Pick
LSU has failed to live up to expectations, but has sneaked back into the top-25 and wants to keep moving up the charts. A win here would have the team feeling good heading into the much-anticipated Alabama game, but the Tigers can’t look past the Rebels.
Ole Miss has been competitive in every game behind its powerful offense, but the defense hasn’t held up its end of the bargain. The Rebels don’t have to worry much about the LSU passing game, as Tigers quarterback Danny Etling has been mediocre this season.
If Ole Miss can not let Fournette and Derrius Guice run wild, it can be in line for the upset. However, get behind, and that plays into the hands of the fast and play-making LSU defense. The start of this one seems huge.
The choice here is Ole Miss, because Kelly is the far superior quarterback, and if the Rebels can get the lead it will be hard for the Tigers to catch up.
College Football Odds: Ole Miss 24, LSU 21
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
