LSU football: The Tigers are late odds favorite over Florida State

LSU football and Florida State are in a very similar place, as discussed in a recent interview with Chop Chat’s Kelvin Hunt. Both programs were amongst the most successful in the sport during the 2000s and 2010s. However, they’ve taken a turn for the worse in recent seasons.

Neither the Tigers nor the Seminoles have come anywhere close to competing for anything meaningful since the start of the 2020 season. Now, the rebuilding teams are set to square off on Sunday in the Caesars Superdome for the opportunity to claim supremacy over the other. Both state schools are in desperate need of a win as it’d give them confidence heading into the remainder of the season, but who do the oddsmakers like in this match-up?

LSU football is the late odds favorite over Florida State on Sunday night

The Vegas line has held pretty steady for this game since its release. It’s obvious that not many know what to expect when these two evenly-matched teams take the field in New Orleans on Sunday night. However, it seems as if oddsmakers have opted to put their faith in the experience of LSU head coach Brian Kelly in the Tigers’ season opener.

LSU has been a firm -3.5 favorite on the spread throughout the week—regardless of where you get your odds. The Tigers have landed somewhere in the -105 to -175 range as it relates to the moneyline, which is about as safe a pick as you will get from sportsbooks. As of Sunday morning, FanDuel displayed odds of LSU -3.5 for the spread and -164 in favor of the Tigers moneyline.

Kelly has remained tight-lipped about some of his starting selections in the build-up to this game. Most notably his starting quarterback, which will either be Jayden Daniels or Garrett Nussmeier. This, combined with the fact that nobody has seen LSU in action yet this season, has led to a cautious optimism around the Bayou Bengals in Vegas.

All of that being said, Sunday morning brought with it a surprise that Tigers fans will enjoy. LSU was given more favorable odds as both Vegas and bettors continued to back the Tigers. The new spread has shifted on FanDuel to -4.5 in favor of the purple and gold. A bet on LSU moneyline can now be locked in at -184 odds, as well.

It goes without saying that these lines are more risky for those looking to put their money on Kelly’s squad. A bet in favor of Florida State suddenly looks a little bit more profitable, but it comes with a greater risk given the line’s shift early Sunday morning.

For those looking to gamble on the game without as much risk involved, the point total odds have remained unchanged up to this point. The line is set at O/U 51.5. A bet on the over has odds of -105 right now, whereas the under is a slightly less profitable -115. No matter which way you lean, the smart play for Sunday night seems to be backing the Tigers to win.