LSU Arkansas Betting – SEC West Rivals Meet With January On Their Minds
The LSU Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks won’t win the SEC West, but they could both reach a prestigious bowl game if they win this Saturday’s game in Little Rock, Arkansas.
NCAA football betting: LSU Tigers @ Arkansas Razorbacks
Online Betting Odds: Arkansas -3.5
Why To Bet On LSU
With a four-point spread in this game, take note: The last five games played between these two teams have featured a combined margin of 13 points, meaning that the average margin of victory is just under three points per game. LSU and Arkansas always seem to go down to the wire, and the past five installments of this series have proved as much.
In terms of this game, the LSU defense – though shaky last week against Ole Miss – is still quite talented. Drake Nevis is, quite simply, the best defensive lineman in the SEC alongside the Auburn Tigers’ Nick Fairley. Patrick Peterson, an all-world cornerback who can also return kicks as well as anyone in major college football, is the anchor of LSU’s secondary. You need elite athletes to contain Arkansas’ loaded offense, and LSU has a number of prime-time performers who are capable of playing well. It’s also true that while LSU’s offense has looked woefully bad at times this season, the Tigers seem to be picking up the pace at long last. Jordan Jefferson is getting the hang of offensive coordinator Gary Crowton’s system. The 20-year-old is still learning and growing, but he looked quite comfortable last week in presiding over a 43-point outpouring against Ole Miss. If Jefferson makes good reads and decisions, the Tigers have the running backs and wide receivers who can do something significant with the ball in open space. LSU can then play with any team in the United States.
Why To Bet On Arkansas
The Hogs are playing this game away from their campus. The LSU game is normally the game (every other year) in which Arkansas goes to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. This is a venue with a smaller crowd than the on-campus site in Fayetteville, but the crowd is even more feisty and raucous precisely because a number of the people in attendance don’t get to see a Razorback game on most occasions. But that’s just a relatively minor point compared to the biggest reason for picking coach Bobby Petrino’s pupils.
Ryan Mallett is going to cash an NFL paycheck very soon. Arkansas’ golden-armed quarterback throws frozen ropes to his receivers, and it’s instructive to note that since the Hogs lost their best receiver, Greg Childs, to a season-ending injury, they haven’t lost a game. Arkansas made clutch plays to come from behind and beat Mississippi State on the road (in overtime) last weekend, and so this team should be overflowing with confidence against LSU. Throw in the fact that the Tigers’ defense looked lousy against Ole Miss’ athletes, and it becomes clear that the Arkansas offense should outpace the LSU defense in this game’s most consequential matchup.
How The Game Will Play Out
LSU will score, but Arkansas will score a lot more. This game looks and feels like a 42-31 Arkansas victory, with Mallett dominating the scene in Little Rock.
LSU Arkansas Betting Pick: Arkansas
