College Football Betting News and Notes Thursday, November 27

Thursday's Tip Sheet
By Joe Nelson
VegasInsider.com

While the NFL has claimed Thanksgiving as its holiday, college football is bringing two intriguing matchups to the table Thursday night as both Texas and Texas A&M continue their Thanksgiving tradition, just not against each other. Here is a look at the Thursday night games in the Big XII and SEC.

TCU Horned Frogs at Texas Longhorns

Venue: Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas
Time/TV: 7:30 PM ET FOX 1
Line: TCU -6, Over/Under 56½
Last Meeting: 2013, Texas (+2½) 30-7 at TCU

TCU appears to be sinking in the national playoff picture as the Horned Frogs may never recover from the narrow 34-30 win over lowly Kansas. With Iowa State up next this is the last opportunity TCU has to impress the committee, getting this national spotlight game Thanksgiving night. Baylor seems poised to pass TCU as the head-to-head meeting may grow in importance and next week the Bears will get to play a highly regarded Kansas State team. The Big XII may get left out entirely with some momentum behind Ohio State’s inclusion and if Mississippi State and Alabama both win convincingly this week it may not matter as the SEC will likely get two teams in.

TCU’s season may ultimately be remembered for what could have been if not for 11 minutes of trouble in Waco in October. TCU led the game at Baylor 58-37 with less than 12 minutes on the clock after Marcus Mallet scored on an interception return touchdown but the Frogs could not get a single stop on defense and the offense failed in several key third down plays, missing the chance to take time off the clock. Ultimately Baylor scored 24 straight points to close the game and that is the difference between TCU being a lock for the national playoff compared with current less promising position.

For Texas a season that started somewhat disastrously has turned to a season of quiet promise with three straight November wins for the Longhorns. After the somewhat contentious removal of Mack Brown as the head coach last season, Charlie Strong’s tenure in Austin featured an embarrassing 41-7 loss at home against BYU in the second game. Texas started the season 2-4 but now at 6-5 the Longhorns have a chance to put a stamp on an encouraging first page in the new era this week.

The turnaround has started with defense as Texas has played very tough defense in seven of the last eight games. Against some very good offensive teams Texas has held up pretty well and the challenge will be servere this week with a TCU squad that is scoring 46 points per game while averaging 542 yards per game. Trevone Boykin may not make it to New York but he is certainly on a short list of the top players in the nation this season with over 3,000 passing yards and over 500 rushing yards, accounting for 31 touchdowns.

Texas is not getting that type of production from the quarterback position as it has been a big adjustment with sophomore Tyrone Swoopes taking over for David Ash. Swoopes has delivered a handful of productive games but he is completing just 58 percent of his passes and he is not the same dynamic two-way threat. John Harris has been one of the top receivers in the Big XII with 59 catches and he should eclipse 1,000 receiving yards this week but the offense for the Longhorns has not been consistent and Texas really only has one quality win, beating West Virginia at home.

TCU is just 6-12-1 ATS vs. Texas since 1980 including just 8-3 ATS since 1988. TCU beat Texas in Austin in 2012 but the Frogs have just two S/U wins in 19 meetings since 1980. TCU is 34-42-1 ATS as a road favorite going back to 1981 including going 1-7 ATS in the last eight instances going back to November of 2011. The win for Texas over West Virginia was the first for the Longhorns as a home underdog S/U or ATS since 1999 as Texas had failed in five straight home underdog situations prior to that game. This is just the seventh time Texas has been a home underdog since 2000 and Texas is also on a 16-5 ATS run in the final home game of the season going back to 1993.

LSU Tigers at Texas A&M Aggies

Venue: Kyle Field in College Station, Texas
Time/TV: 7:30 PM ET ESPN
Line: LSU -3 Over/Under 49½
Last Meeting: 2013, at LSU (-5) 34-10

For two programs accustomed to being in the national conversation in recent years this Thanksgiving showdown will leave the loser potentially in a tie for last place in the SEC West if Arkansas beats Missouri. Both teams have matching 7-4 records but with 3-4 records in conference play. Neither team will be in the discussion for a major bowl spot and by the very high standards of both programs, it will be considered a bit of a down season regardless of this week’s result.

There have been major highs and lows for both teams with Texas A&M peaking early with a 5-0 start and the blowout win at South Carolina in the opening week before crashing with three straight lopsided losses including a 59-0 self-destruction in Tuscaloosa. The Aggies did rebound with a big win at Auburn to save some face in what has been a tough second half of the season.

LSU snuck by Wisconsin in the opening week and then started 0-2 in SEC play with a home loss against Mississippi State and an ugly 41-7 loss at Auburn. The young Tigers team did respond with three straight wins in October including giving Mississippi their first loss however. LSU seemed to have Alabama beat before a painful sequence led to an overtime loss and in its last game LSU was shut out against an Arkansas team that had lost 17 straight conference games.

Texas A&M started the season under sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill who posted huge early season numbers and emerged on the Heisman short list. Hill is no longer the starter as he struggled with the decline of the Aggies and was suspended for two weeks with highly touted freshman Kyle Allen taking the job. Allen has had mixed results and an Aggies offense that is not running the ball like it used to has seen a big scoring drop from the past two seasons. The defense for Texas A&M has also struggled in several matchups and the overall figures for the Aggies look much worse if you take away an incredibly weak non-conference slate.

Last season’s LSU offense posted 453 yards per game and nearly 36 points per game but glancing at the Sunday NFL scores and seeing rookies Alfred Blue, Jeremy Hill, Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, and Zach Mettenberger all in prominent roles shows you how much this team had to rebuild. LSU has been much better on defense than last season with just 16 points per game allowed but the offense is getting very little done consistently in the passing game. Over the past three games LSU has scored a total of just 19 points but the 17-0 loss to Arkansas could be chalked up to a letdown after the demoralizing Alabama game. The team should be ready for this finale Thursday night after a bye week last week.

In the last trip to College Station LSU escaped with a 24-19 win but it was the worst game of the season for Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel as Texas A&M had five turnovers to surrender an early lead. Last season in Baton Rouge LSU crushed Texas A&M 34-10 with nearly double the yardage total as the Aggies were held under 300 yards for their lowest output of the season.

LSU has won and covered in the three recent meetings between these teams going back to the Cotton Bowl after the 2010 season and the Tigers are 8-4-1 ATS vs. Texas A&M since 1986. LSU is 44-28-2 ATS as a road favorite since 1984 including going 17-11-1 ATS since 2005 when Les Miles took over. LSU is 28-15 S/U on the road under Miles, though just 21-20-2 ATS and just 3-7-1 ATS the past three seasons. Texas A&M is 21-12-1 ATS as a home underdog since 1985 including going 5-2 ATS since 2009 in that role though the team is just 0-3 S/U and 1-2 ATS as a home underdog under Kevin Sumlin.

Big 12, SEC highlight Thursday
By Sportsbook.ag

LSU TIGERS (7-4) at TEXAS A&M AGGIES (7-4)

Sportsbook.ag. Line: LSU -3.5, Total: 50.5

Two struggling SEC teams desperate for a win will collide on Thanksgiving night when LSU visits Texas A&M.

The Tigers are certainly talented, as they have victories this season against both Wisconsin and Ole Miss, but have also lost SU and ATS to Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama and Arkansas. Overall they are 7-4 ATS while covering in each one of their victories and are coming off a bad loss to the Razorbacks by a score of 17-0 as 2-point underdogs on the road on Nov. 15. It was Arkansas’ first win against the Tigers in 18 tries as LSU managed a putrid 123 yards of offense and 2.3 yards per play.

The Aggies have had a similar season with huge wins over South Carolina and Auburn, but ran into a juggernaut in the middle part of their schedule as they were defeated by Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama by a combined 91 points over three consecutive games. They most recently absorbed a loss to Missouri on Nov. 15 by a score of 34-27 as 3.5-point favorites at home, bringing their ATS record this season to just 4-7, while they have covered only once in their past seven attempts.

The Aggies defense just could not hold the Tigers offense in check as they totaled 587 yards, which included 335 yards on the ground (6.8 YPC). LSU has won this matchup (SU and ATS) in each of the past three seasons while having an average margin of victory of 15.3 PPG.

Last year the Tigers dominated in a 34-10 game as 3-point favorites at home behind 517 yards of offense and two forced turnovers. Bettors should also know that LSU is an impressive 17-4 ATS (81%) in road games after gaining 100 or less rushing yards in its previous contest since 1992 while Texas A&M is 33-18 ATS (65%) in home games after a game where it forced one or fewer turnovers over the same timeframe.

On the injury front, HB Kenny Hilliard (undisclosed) is out for the remainder of the season for LSU, while the Aggies come into this one without any significant omissions from their lineup.

The Tigers have had a solid year rushing the ball (204.5 YPG) as they rank 35th in the nation while gaining a meager 169.1 YPG through the air (112th in FBS) and just 28.0 PPG of offense (74th in nation).

QB Anthony Jennings (1,353 pass yards, 9 TD, 6 INT) has really struggled in the past two games, combining to go 20-for-48 (42%) for 163 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He is not leaned on much for this team as he has eclipsed 200 passing yards just once on the year.

HB Leonard Fournette (745 rush yards, 7 TD) has been a bright spot for this team as a freshman, as he has hit triple digits in rushing yards three times this season. HB Terrance Magee (471 rush yards, 3 TD) has also done well while averaging 5.4 YPC and is now the primary backup with Hilliard out for the year. WR Travis Dural (747 rec yards, 7 TD) has posted an excellent 21.3 yards per catch, but does not get the volume as he has caught a mere 14 balls over the past six games combined. Meanwhile, WR Malachi Dupre (277 rec yards, 5 TD) has also been a big red-zone threat while getting tons of yards per catch (21.3 avg).

The defense is what keeps this team winning, as it has allowed 16.4 PPG (5th in FBS) this year behind the strong play of LB Kwon Alexander (72 tackles, 7 TFL) and DL Danielle Hunter (63 tackles, 12 TFL).

Texas A&M has focused on the passing game and excelled with 321.2 YPG through the air (10th in nation) while adding 148.2 rushing YPG (88th in FBS), all resulting in them scoring the 23rd-most points in FBS (36.0 PPG).

The downfall of QB Kenny Hill (2,649 pass yards, 23 TD, 8 INT) has given way to freshman QB Kyle Allen (884 pass yards, 11 TD, 5 INT) who has thrown seven touchdowns and two interceptions over the past two games while hitting on better than 65% of his passes each time. He has seen his attempts increase in each of the past three contests, and was rated the No. 1 pocket passer among college QB prospects coming into the year.

HBs Tra Carson (431 rush yards, 5 TD) and Trey Williams (412 rush yards, 5 TD) have combined to average 5.4 YPC while neither player has really had a breakout performance this season. WRs Josh Reynolds (746 rec yards, 12 TD), Malcome Kennedy (526 rec yards, 4 TD), Speedy Noil (513 rec yards, 4 TD) and Ricky Seals-Jones (443 rec yards, 4 TD) all have 40+ receptions on the year while Reynolds is coming off his best game of the season in which he caught five passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

The Aggies have not done well on the defensive side of things while giving up 27.7 PPG on the year (75th in nation) and have surrendered an average of 36.0 PPG and 584.5 total YPG over their past two contests. DL Myles Garrett (11 sacks, 46 tackles) and DB Deshazor Everett (65 tackles, 1 INT) will need to perform at their highest levels to have a chance come Thursday.

TCU HORNED FROGS (9-1) at TEXAS LONGHORNS (6-5)

Sportsbook.ag. Line: TCU -6.5, Total: 56.5

No. 5 TCU looks to get closer to a playoff berth as they travel to Austin to take on Texas on Thanksgiving night.

The Horned Frogs were off last week, which followed a major struggle in a narrow 34-30 win at 28-point underdog Kansas. However, TCU was still able to win its fifth straight game (3-2 ATS) where it has averaged 46.0 PPG. The Longhorns have had some ups and downs in head coach Charlie Strong’s first season, but the team is playing its best football right now.

Texas has won its past three games (SU and ATS) by a combined score of 95 to 36, which included a 33-16 win against then-No. 23 West Virginia. But that was the only ranked team the Longhorns have beaten, as they are 1-4 SU versus top-25 schools, with two of those defeats coming at home.

Last year, these two teams played in Fort Worth, with the 3-point underdog Longhorns winning, 30-7. Texas dominated the game, outgaining the Horned Frogs 415 to 246, including 187 to 45 on the ground. But in the first Big 12 meeting between these schools in Austin in 2012, TCU prevailed 20-13 by outrushing the Longhorns 217 to 86. Both schools have powerful betting trends against them, as excellent offensive road favorites (34+ PPG) facing an average defense (21 to 28 PPG allowed) after a win by six points or less are just 9-31 ATS (23%) in the past 10 seasons, but underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points coming off two straight conference wins facing an opponent coming off a road win are just 25-63 ATS (28%) in the past 10 seasons.

There are a couple of key offensive injuries in this game with TCU RB B.J. Catalon (shoulder) considered questionable to play, while Texas WR Jaxon Shipley (leg) has been upgraded to probable.

The Horned Frogs have been great on both sides of the ball this year, but it is the improvement of the offense that has this team within striking distance of the first college football playoffs. The offense ranks 2nd in FBS scoring (45.9 PPG), 8th in passing (323.6 YPG) and 28th in rushing (218 YPG).

Junior QB Trevone Boykin (3,021 pass yards, 548 rush yards, 31 total TD) had many doubters last season when he threw just 7 TD with 7 INT, but is now one of the top candidates for the Heisman trophy with 24 passing TD and only 5 INT. He is a tremendous athlete, but his improved composure and poise has helped him take the next step as a quarterback.

RB Aaron Green (677 rush yards, 8.3 YPC, 6 TD) is a speedster who is tough to stop once he gets to the second level of the defense. His backfield mate, junior RB B.J. Catalon (493 rush yards, 5.0 YPC, 10 TD) has battled some injuries, but he is the guy that can take over the game late when TCU needs some first downs.

At receiver, junior WRs Josh Doctson (693 rec yards, 7 TD), Kolby Listenbee (606 rec yards, 3 TD) and Deante' Gray (486 rec yards, 7 TD) are all capable of going for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns on any given game.

Other than the 61-58 loss at Baylor, the TCU defense has played very well this season. The unit gives up 23.1 PPG (35th in FBS), and has one of the biggest playmakers in the country on that side of the ball in LB Paul Dawson (105 tackles, 15 TFL, 5 sacks, 3 INT, 2 FF). Dawson can make plays anywhere on the field, in any kind of situation. He has the ability to guard slot receivers when needed, and can cause a lot of havoc in the backfield. In the secondary, S Chris Hackett (6 INT, 66 tackles, 3.5 TFL) can not only cover, but he is not afraid to come up and make plays against the run as well.

It has been a tough season in Austin, but the Longhorns are playing their best football at the end of the season. The offense has been up-and-down, ranking 77th in FBS rushing (154.0 YPG), 80th in passing (212.9 YPG) and 98th in scoring (23.7 PPG).

Sophomore QB Tyrone Swoopes (2,152 pass yards, 12 TD, 6 INT) has steadily improved since being thrown into the starting job, showing the potential that has Longhorns fans' hopes high for the future. He is a threat to make plays with both his arm and legs, and at 6-foot-4, 243 pounds, he can be very difficult for defenses to tackle. The ground game of RBs Malcolm Brown (654 rush yards, 3.9 YPC, 6 TD) and Johnathan Gray (627 rush yards, 4.9 YPC, 7 TD) has been inconsistent, but both backs are capable of having big days.

The Horned Frogs are going to focus on stopping those two, so the Texas air attack will have to perform at a high level. WR John Harris (59 catches, 976 yards, 7 TD) is the big-play threat on the roster, using his size and speed to get behind the defense. Senior WR Jaxon Shipley (58 catches, 571 yards, 1 TD) complements him perfectly, going over the middle and making the tough catches. He is being slowed by a leg injury, but he should be good to go on Thursday night.

The defense has been great all year, ranking 24th in the country in points allowed (21.0 PPG). LBs Jordan Hicks (136 tackles, 12 TFL, 2.5 sacks) and Steve Edmond (116 tackles, 12 TFL, 4.5 sacks) are one of the best tackling duos in college football. Both of them do a great job of stopping the run, while also getting pressure on the quarterback. In the secondary, senior CB Quandre Diggs (60 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 INT) is the heart and soul of this defense, always rallying the team when it needs it.

Check out more College Football Odds and Props at Sportsbook.ag!

Game of the Day: TCU at Texas
By Covers.com

TCU Horned Frogs at Texas Longhorns (+6.5, 55)

Fifth-ranked TCU and host Texas roll into their Thanksgiving Day meeting on win streaks. While the Longhorns are playing well and already bowl-eligible, the Horned Frogs have bigger goals in their sights. TCU is in striking distance of a College Football Playoff berth and can claim at least a share of its first Big 12 Conference title with two more wins.

"You don't get very many chances to win championships," TCU coach Gary Patterson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram last week. "I know our fan base would love to be in the playoffs, and so would we. But for us, right now, the best way to do that is to win a conference title." Trevone Boykin leads a TCU offense - ranked second nationally in points scored at 45.9 - that is the nation's most improved. Texas has been solid defensively during its three-game win streak, allowing a combined 36 points.

LINE HISTORY: Oddsmakers opened the Frogs as 6.5-point road faves. The total has dropped to 55 from the opening 56.5.

INJURY REPORT: TCU - RB B.J. Catalon (Questionable, upper body). Texas - WR Jaxon Shipley (Probable, leg), WR Armanti Foreman (Out, head).

WEATHER FORECAST: Temperatres are expected to be in the mid-50s with wind blowing across the field at 3 mph.

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "When the season began in August, the look ahead advance line was Texas -7 for this game which is substantially different than the real line now. The underdog has won both meetings straight up the past two seasons, including a 30-7 road win by Texas last year, so this is a revenge game for TCU. TCU holds a substantial edge on offense as they average 46 points per game and 542 yards per game (6.7 yards per play), while Texas only averages 24 ppg and 367 total yards (5.2 yppl) this season. However, Texas actually has the better defense, allowing just 21 points per game and 4.6 yard per play, while TCU permits 23 ppg and 5.1 yppl." - Covers Expert Steve Merril

ABOUT TCU (9-1 SU, 8-2 ATS, 7-3 O/U): The Horned Frogs' improvement in total yards (plus-196.8) and points (plus-20.8) lead the nation and are on pace to set a Big 12 record while the offense can also set school marks for points, first downs, passing yards and total offense in a single season. Boykin (3,021 passing yards, 24 touchdowns; 548 rushing yards, seven scores) ranks third nationally in total offense. Josh Doctson leads TCU, winner of five straight, with 43 catches for 693 yards and seven TDs and Kolby Listenbee has 33 catches for 606 yards and three scores.

ABOUT TEXAS (6-5 SU, 7-4 ATS, 3-8 O/U): Tyrone Swoopes has grown into a solid leader of the Texas offense, completing 58.8 percent of his passes for 2,152 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Running backs Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray have combined for 1,281 yards and 13 scores while John Harris (59 catches for 976 yards and seven TDs) and Jaxon Shipley (58 catches, 571 yards, one score) lead the receiving corps. The Longhorn defense - led by linebacker Jordan Hicks' 136 tackles - has allowed just 5-of-30 third-down conversions in the past two games.

TRENDS:

* Horned Frogs are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games overall.
* Longhorns are 2-5 ATS in their last seven Thursday games.
* Over is 4-1 in Horned Frogs last five road games.
* Under is 14-3 in Longhorns last 17 games in November.

COVERS CONSENSUS: According to Covers Consensus, 65 percent of bettors are backing TCU.

NCAAF Week 14

LSU scored total of 23 points in last three games, losing last two, in OT to Alabama, 17-0 at Arkansas; Tigers completed less than 50% of passes in five of last six games, but they did beat Texas A&M 34-10/24-19 last two years, running ball for 543 yards in those games. Aggies covered one of last seven games, losing four of last six SU; Aggies are 0-2 at home in SEC this year, allowing 69 points in losses to Ole Miss/Mizzou. Aggies covered four of last five tries as a home underdog. SEC home underdogs are 9-10 this season.

Home side lost last two TCU-Texas games; Horned Frogs won 20-13 in last visit here. TCU allowed 121 points (40.3 ppg) in last three games on road, losing 61-58 at Baylor, beating West Virginia 31-30, Kansas 34-30, so they've been shaky on foreign soil. Texas allowed 12 ppg in winning last three games after 3-5 start; they allowed 16 or less points in five of six wins- they're 1-4 when allowing 20+ points. Over last 10+ years, Texas is 1-6 as a home dog. Big X home underdogs are 13-5 this season.

Armadillosports.com

College Football Previews for Thanksgiving Day
Atssportsline.com

Football goes along with Thanksgiving like turkey and stuffing. In college football, there are two strong matchups led by a Big 12 and SEC matchup. One game could have college playoff implications, while the other is played for bowl game.

TCU (9-1 SU, 8-2 ATS, 7-3 O/U) at Texas (6-5 SU, 7-4 ATS, 3-8 O/U)

Weather: Clear. Southeast wind 3-8. Gametime temperature: 55.

Last game: (10/26/13): Texas (+3) over TCU, 30-7.

Intangibles
Texas has allowed just nine passing TDs this season, including one during the past four games.
TCU has recorded at least one sack and onc pick in 12 straight games.
TCU is ranked fifth in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Key Football Trends

TCU is:
7-2 ATS last 9 conference games.
10-2 ATS last 12 overall.
19-7 ATS last 26 following a bye week.

Texas is
7-2 ATS last 9 following a bye week.
4-9 ATS last 13 following an ATS win.
2-6 ATS last 8 following a SU win of more than 20 points.

Outlook: TCU desperately needs this game against a red-hot Texas team. TCU is not playing their best football as they had to rally from a 10-point deficit to defeat Kansas, 34-30 on Nov. 15. That was the same Kansas team that lost at Oklahoma, 44-7 the following week. TCU's offense (45.9 points per game) will be tested against a very good defense. Quarterback Trevone Boykin is having a great year, with 3,021 passing yards, 24 TDs and five picks, with 548 rushing yards and seven TDs. Running back B.J. Catalon leads the team with 10 rushing touchdowns and is considered questionable to play this game with a shoulder injury. Josh Doctson (43 catches for seven TDs) and Kolby Listenbee (600+ receiving yards) are the top targets. The defense has been inconsistent lately as they do allow 23.1 points per game and 378.8 yards per game. Their run defense is solid as they allow 123.1 yards per game. Paul Dawson has 105 tackles and 15 TFL to lead the team. Chris Hackett has six interceptions, while Kevin White and Hacket lead with 11 passes defended.

Texas has won three straight and four of five, but not because of a dynamic offense, which averages just 23.7 points, 213 passing yards and 367 overall yards per game. Their defense has been sensational as they've allowed just 36 points combined to Texas Tech, West Virginia and Oklahoma State. At quarterback, Tyrone Swoopes completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 2,152 yards, 12 TDs and just six picks. Running backs Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray have combined for 1,281 yards and 13 TDs. John Harris (59 catches for 976 yards, seven TDs) and Jaxon Shipley (58 for 571 yards) lead the receiving corps. The defense has several outstanding players including linebacker Jordan Hicks, who has 136 tackles. The Longhorns allow just 21 points per game to lead the Big 12. Texas also has an outstanding pass rush as they lead the league in sacks with 37. College Football Lines: TCU is a 6.5-point betting odds favorite. Total: 56.5.

LSU (7-4 SU, 7-4 ATS, 4-7 O/U) at Texas A&M (7-4 SU, 4-7 ATS, 5-6 O/U)

Last game: (11/23/13): LSU (-3.5) over Texas A&M, 34-10.

Weather: Clear. East wind 4-9. Gametime temperature: 54.

Intangibles
LSU has had 14 straight seasons with at least eight wins before this year.
LSU will miss starting cornerback Rashard Robinson due to a suspension for the third straight games.
Texas A&M is expected to go back to freshman QB Kyle Allen.

College Football Trends

LSU is:
5-2 ATS last 7 following a bye week.
4-10-1 ATS last 15 following an ATS loss.
1-6 ATS last 7 in November.

Texas A&M is
3-9 ATS last 12 Thursday games.
1-5 ATS last 6 in November.
0-8 ATS last 8 following a bye.

Outlook: LSU started off 3-0 and was ranked eighth in the country, before falling to 3-4 in their last seven games. They lost at home to Alabama on Nov. 8, 20-13 in overtime, before losing at Arkansas, 17-0 on Nov. 15. The offense managed just 123 total yards in their game against Arkansas. Quarterback Anthony Jennings threw for just 87 yards and has completed just 48 percent of his passes this season with nine TDs and six picks. Another option could be Brandon Harris (56 percent, 452 yards, six TDs, two INTs). Wide receiver Travin Dural leads the Tigers with 747 yards and seven TDs on 35 catches. The running game has to lead as freshman Leonard Fournette (745 yards, seven TDs) leads a strong group of runners. The defense allows just 16.4 points per game and 313 yards per game. Kwon Alexander leads the team with 72 tackles and 7.0 TFL, a sacks and two forced fumbles. Danielle Hunter adds 63 tackles, 12.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

Texas A&M did put up 27 points against a quality defense two weeks ago in their 34-27 loss at home against Missouri on Nov. 15. That broke a two-game winning streak as the Aggies beat UL-Monroe (21-16) and shocked Auburn on the road, 41-38 on Nov. 8 as a 23.5-point underdog. The offense has scored 30 points or less in four of their last five games. They average 36 points and 469.4 yards per game. Quarterback Kenny Hill (2,649 yards, 23 TDs, eight INTs) was suspended for two games though Kyle Allen played well in his absence. Allen, who has 884 passing yards with 11 TD and five picks, is expected to get the nod. The receivers are strong and deep led by Josh Reynolds (45 catches for 746 yards, 12 TDs), who appeared to have a connection with Allen. The running attack is average led by three backs in Tra carson (431 yards), Trey Williams (412 yards) and Brandon Williams (356 yards). The defense is allowing 27.7 points per game a whopping 445.2 yards per game. They've allowed 34 points or more in four of their last five games. Myles Garrett leads the way as a freshman with 11 sacks, but missed the Missouri game with a concussion. He's expected to play in this game. They allow 209 rushing yards per game. College Football Odds: LSU is a 3-point betting odds favorite. Total: 52.

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