The No. 10 LSU Tigers and No. 17 Vanderbilt Commodores are set for a pivotal SEC matchup this Saturday afternoon in Nashville. Both teams enter the highly-anticipated matchup with records of 5-1, and both teams are looking to make a statement with a top-25 win.
Kick-off between Brian Kelly and Clark Lea's teams is still several days away, but Vegas oddsmakers have decided who they think has the edge. As of 6:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday, October 14, Vanderbilt is favored by 2.5 points on FanDuel Sportsbook. Oddsmakers favoring Vanderbilt over LSU is historic for many reasons.
Vanderbilt being favored over LSU makes history
As a 2.5-point favorite in Saturday's matchup, this is the first time that Vanderbilt has been favored over LSU since 1948. The Tigers and Commodores have met 33 times in their respective histories, with LSU owning a 25-7-1 advantage in the series. LSU has won 10 straight meetings since 1991.
When it comes to conference play, the Commodores have been an underdog in 51 consecutive SEC games prior to this weekend's meeting with LSU. Additionally, this is the first time that Vanderbilt is favored over a top-10 team since 1978. The Commodores have been underdogs in 77 consecutive games vs top-10 opponents since then.
This isn't the same old Commodores that SEC fans are accustomed to seeing. It took a couple seasons for Clark Lea to get things rolling in Nashville, as he posted a 9-27 overall record and 2-22 SEC record in his first three seasons at the helm of his alma mater. But last season the program took a historic turn. The Commodores posted a winning record for the first time since 2013, and won their first ever game against a No. 1 ranked opponent with their shocking 40-35 win over Alabama on Oct. 5.
The 2025 Commodores are proving that last season was no fluke. Vandy is 5-1 and ranked as the No. 17 team in the country, and possess one of the highest scoring offenses in the country. The Commodores are averaging 43.2 points per game this season, which ranks 7th in all of college football. LSU has the defense to slow the Commodores down, as the Tiger defense ranks 5th in the country allowing just 11.8 points per game this season.