Mississippi State Bulldogs vs LSU Tigers Predictions, Picks, Odds and NCAA Football Betting Preview – October 20 2018

The No. 22 Mississippi State Bulldogs scored a rousing upset the last time they were on the field and are now looking to claim another heavyweight victim, as they prepare for a showdown with the No. 5 LSU Tigers at Baton Rouge.  The Tigers, meanwhile, are looking to use the Bulldogs game as a springboard for a November matchup with the Alabama Crimson Tide. LSU is currently listed at +4000 to win the 2019 College Football Championship.

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Betting Preview for the Mississippi State Bulldogs vs LSU Tigers Week 8 College Football Game on Oct. 20 2018

Where: LSU Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA

When: Saturday, October 20, 2018, 12:00 PM ET

Line: Mississippi State Bulldogs (+7) vs LSU Tigers (-7) – view all 2018 NCAAF lines

TV Broadcast: ESPN

Betting on the Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-2 Overall / 2-1 Conference)

Mississippi State is known for its ability to rack up yards out on the ground this season, and that’s exactly what the Bulldogs showed in their most recent outing two weeks ago – or before they went on a bye last week. Dual-threat Bulldog quarterback Nick Fitzgerald had more yards using his legs than his arm in a 23-9 win over the No. 8 Auburn Tigers at home last Saturday, as he rushed for 195 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries.  Running back Kylin Hill, meanwhile, wasn’t too shabby either with 126 rushing yards on 23 touches. With the Bulldogs fully resting their bodies, they should be primed to go hard on the run game once again. They will go up against the elite top run defense of LSU, but that’s unlikely to deter Mississippi State from running the ball down the throat of the Tigers, as the Bulldogs are 23rd in the nation with 59.71 percent of their plays being executed on the ground. Speaking of defense, the Bulldogs are second in the FBS with only 14.0 points per game allowed and sixth overall with just 296.8 total yards surrendered per contest.

The Bulldogs are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.

Betting on the LSU Tigers (6-1 Overall / 3-1 Conference)

The Tigers bounced back from an upset loss to No. 22 Florida Gators on Oct. 7 with a strong performance on  the road on Saturday, taking down the second-ranked team in the nation in the form of the Georgia Bulldogs, 36-16. Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron has his team convinced that it could run through a brick wall, as evidenced by that win over Georgia, and that kind of mentality should show up once again this coming weekend in Baton Rouge. The excellent defensive job of LSU in the Georgia game was glaring. The Bulldogs are averaging more than 35 points per game this season, but the Tigers successfully slowed down Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm, who only had 209 yards on 34 passes with a touchdown against two interceptions. Knowing that Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald will look to break loose on the ground, the Tigers’ run defense will be tested early and often this Saturday. The Tigers are 35th in the nation with 129.7 rushing yards per game allowed. They are also excellent in forcing turnovers, with opponents committing an average of 2.0 per game.

The Tigers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games.

Writer’s Prediction

LSU wins, 28-23.

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