The LSU Tigers struggled in Week 2, moving to 2-0 behind a sluggish effort against Louisiana Tech. Brian Kelly's squad was favored by 36.5 points, but won by just 16. The offense looked out of sync, leaving Garrett Nussmeier and company with a lot to correct ahead of this Saturday's SEC opener against the Florida Gators.
The Gators suffered a crushing loss to South Florida this past weekend, and enter this matchup against LSU at a crossroads. Billy Napier is feeling the heat once again, but LSU cannot afford to overlook the Gators in this one. Last season, Florida suffered several early season losses before putting together a strong second half of the season. Don't be surprised if Florida comes out with an aggressive game plan on the road, especially after seeing LSU's vulnerabilities on display against Louisiana Tech.
LSU vs Florida early betting odds
LSU is set to battle Florida at Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13 in Week 3. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. Even after an underwhelming performance against Louisiana Tech in Week 2, professional oddsmakers are favoring LSU by nearly double digits. As of 5:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 7, DraftKings has LSU favored by a 9.5 points. The total, or over/under, is listed at 50.5.
So far this season, LSU is 2-0 overall and 1-1 against the spread. The Tigers covered the spread against Clemson, but failed to cover the 36.5-point spread against Louisiana Tech. The under is 2-0 for LSU so far this season.
On the other side, Florida is 1-1 overall and 1-1 against the spread. The under is 2-0 for Florida so far this season as well, and has cashed in six straight Gator games going back to last season.
The Tigers and Gators first met in 1937, and have been annual opponents since 1971. Bragging rights are on the line in this weekend's matchup, as the all-time series is knotted up 34-34-3. The Tigers and Gators have combined to win 11 SEC title and five national championships over the past two decades.