While most other ranked teams will have to wait a little longer to get their first true tests of the season, the No. 23 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and the No. 21 Texas Longhorns will slug it out right in the very first week of the season proper. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns vs Texas Longhorns NCAA Week 1 College Football Game on September 4, 2021
Where: DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin
When: Saturday, September 4, 2021, 4:30 PM ET
Line: Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (odds) vs. Texas Longhorns (odds) – view all 2020 NCAAF lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (odds)
Record: 0-0 Overall / 0-0 Conference
The Ragin’ Cajuns are….well…raging. That’s at least one thing you can say about Lousiana’s offense in 2020 when the Ragin’ Cajuns finished the regular season 26th in the nation with 33.6 points per game and 18th with 0.497 points per play. This is almost the same team that went 10-1 in 2020 and should be a handful for Texas’ defense. Louisiana’s offensive line is arguably the best in the Sun Belt conference, and it’s the one that’s mainly responsible for why quarterback Levi Lewis was almost always safely tucked in the pocket. Lewis was sacked just seven times in 2020 behind a pass protection unit that was tops in the conference with just nine sacks allowed. The Longhorns’ defense has a lot to prove and it might just get exposed right out of the gate by this Louisiana attack.
Louisiana is 3-1 against the spread in its last four games.
Betting on the Texas Longhorns (odds)
Record: 0-0 Overall / 0-0 Conference
Sam Ehlinger is gone, and the void he left on offense will not be easy to cover by either Casey Thompson or Hudson Card, but a new head coach in Steve Sarkisian should be enough to install confidence in Texas’ offense being a big threat again. Last season when the team averaged 42.7 points per game — fifth nationally — behind a passing attack that put up over 280 yards per contest. But this time, the Longhorns could utilize their ground game more. Returning for one more year in Austin is running back Bijan Robinson, who’s expected to be one of the best rushers in the nation this season. Robinson rushed for 703 yards and four touchdowns in 2020 but get this: he led the Big 12 wiuth 8.17 yards per carry. Sarkisian’s brilliance in plotting the offense could even unlock what remains of Robinson’s potential and it’s seriously scary.
The under is 3-0 in Texas’ last three games as the home team.
Writer’s Prediction
Texas wins, 31-24.
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