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It’s been a spring of optimism for LSU football, with 16 starters back from a 10-3, Fiesta Bowl champion squad. With that in mind, it should be no surprise that SportsBetting.com has the Tigers at a win total over/under of nine games for the 2019 season, good for second in the SEC West behind Alabama.
Most of Vegas picked the Tigers to win just seven games a year ago, but this time around they have LSU firmly second in the SEC West. The odds for the SEC are as follows:
Alabama regular season win total
Over 11 (+110)
Under 11 (-130)
Auburn regular season win total
Over 8 (+125)
Under 8 (-145)
Florida regular season win total
Over 9 (-145)
Under 9 (+125)
Georgia regular season win total
Over 10.5 (-200)
Under 10.5 (+170)
LSU regular season win total
Over 9 (-120)
Under 9 (+100)
Mississippi State regular season win total
Over 8 (-160)
Under 8 (+140)
Texas A&M regular season win total
Over 7.5 (-145)
Under 7.5 (+125)
The Tigers certainly won’t have the luxury of underdog status much in the coming year. A nine-win over/under, and favored to go over.
I’m a little skeptical of Florida’s total, although they have a rather navigable schedule. I would like Auburn to maybe hit that over and have a “Good” Gus Year, but they have a tough first month or so with a neutral site opener against Oregon and road games at A&M and Florida. Mississippi State will hit a tough stretch in October with trips to Auburn, Tennessee and A&M, plus a visit from LSU — and that’s before the usual November match-up with Bama. For the Aggies, it’ll just come down to how they handle the rest of the division. They’ll likely be underdogs versus Bama and LSU, and also draw Georgia and Clemson. Question is how far apart are they from teams like State and Auburn.
In other football news, the Tigers had an addition and subtraction today, with the news of new team analyst Roy Anderson, formerly a Chicago Bears defensive backs assistant. Anderson was a GA on the 2004 LSU staff under Nick Saban, but has spent the last 10 years in the NFL on the Ravens, Colts and Bears’ staffs.
Meanwhile, freshman tight end/outside linebacker Dantrieze Scott has officially entered the NCAA’s transfer portal, after missing the first two spring practice sessions last week. Scott, out of Ferriday, La., was one of the less-heralded members of the 2018 signing class, but one that the staff initially had some high hopes for as a developmental defensive end/outside linebacker. But he moved to tight end as a true freshman, and apparently felt lost in the shuffle. He joins defensive linemen Davin Cotton and Dominic Livingston as the third members of the 2018 recruiting class to leave.
It is expected that LSU will still need another transfer or two to meet the 85 scholarship threshold by next season.