2011 College Football Week 1 Oregon vs. LSU Picks & Predictions
By Anthony Rome
(The Spread) - Who holds the edge between No. 4 LSU and No. 3 Oregon tonight in Week 1’s game of the week?
Odds: Oddsmakers have installed the Oregon Ducks as a 3.5-point favorites versus the LSU Tigers, while the over/under total for this game is currently listed at 54.5 points.
Line Movements: LSU opened as a 1.5-point underdog in early August but since then the Tigers have had some off-field issues, the line has moved up to 3.5. In fact, at one point the point spread was a pick’em. But once quarterback Jordon Jefferson and sophomore linebacker Joshua Johns were arrested and suspended, the line has gone back in Oregon’s favor.
Public Betting: Of the 6,000-plus wagers on tonight’s game, 52% of college football public bettors favor Oregon -3.5. This information will change leading up to kickoff, however, so make sure you click on the link provided for updated betting numbers.
College Football Free Pick: Take Oregon. All things considered the Tigers would be a nice play at 3.5 but these are uncertain times. How much will LSU be distracted by the Jefferson issue? Obviously the Tiger defense is more than capable of containing the Ducks’ offense, but it also may be on the field a lot. What happens when the Tigers get into the fourth quarter and they’ve chased LaMichael James and Darron Thomas around the field for over two hours? I wouldn’t call Oregon a value pick, but the Ducks certainly offer the more stable situation. Also, according to latest college football trends, the Ducks are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games in September while the Tigers are just 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games in this month.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 FREE PICK: Oregon Ducks -3.5