LSU Tigers vs. Florida State Seminoles Betting Pick

No. 5 LSU Tigers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS) vs. No. 8 Florida State Seminoles (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)
NCAA Football Week 2
Date/Time: Sunday September 3rd, 2023. 7:30PM (EST)
Where: Camping World Stadium Orlando, FL
TV: ABC

Betting Odds:

Point Spread: LSU -2.5/FSU +2.5 (Did you know you can bet at reduced odds? It’s FREE!)
Total: 57.5

The return of college football will culminate with a high-stakes season opener between prominent programs, which will take place on Sunday, September 3rd, when the no. 5 LSU Tigers collide with the no. 8 Florida State Seminoles for the Camping World Kickoff in Orlando, Florida. Both the Tigers and Seminoles have high hopes for the 2023 campaign, with a potential conference title and college playoff aspirations within their season goals. Head Coach Brian Kelly put life back into the powerhouse that is LSU by reaching ten wins in his first year in Death Valley. The Tigers return 12 starters from a year ago, including eight on the offensive side of the football, led by QB Jayden Daniels and WR Malik Nabers.

The Tigers are currently listed as 2.5-point favorites, and perhaps rightfully so, as they return the most proven personnel against the top-rated competition that will take the field this season. However, the Seminoles are trying to take another step towards returning to glory after capturing their first 10-win season since 2016 last year. Head Coach Mike Norvell has improved the program in each of his first three years in Tallahassee and has the Seminoles on the cusp of regaining power in the ACC. Like LSU, Florida State returns an abundance of talent on both sides of the football, which has helped raise expectations which include hopes of a potential upset over LSU!

LSU looks to settle the score against Florida State

For those that may not be aware, this battle between the Tigers and Seminoles is a rematch from last year’s Allstate Louisiana Kickoff, which produced an instant classic. In that game, both offenses were able to move the ball pretty well. LSU QB Jayden Daniels threw for 209 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for another 114 yards. Meanwhile, Florida State QB Jordan Travis played well by hitting 20 of 33 passing for 260 yards with two touchdowns. Travis played extremely well during the 2nd half of the season, which allowed the Seminoles to win their last six games, including a big win over Oklahoma in the Cheez-It Bowl.

Ultimately, in last year’s battle, the Tigers fell behind thanks to a pair of fumbles from star WR Malik Nabers and some shaky play on the defensive side of the football. However, LSU found ways to rally behind a pair of touchdown passes from Jayden Daniels, including a two-yard touchdown as time expired. That final touchdown appeared to be poised to push the game into overtime. However, the Seminoles blocked the extra point attempt in dramatic fashion to pull out the 24-23 victory over the Tigers. Despite the loss, many felt like the Tigers gave the game away with turnovers and special teams mistakes. Therefore, LSU will be looking to avenge last year’s loss and prove they are the better program.

LSU Tigers vs. Florida State Seminoles Betting Analysis

It is rare that a heavily hyped early season game has the likelihood to live up to the expectations, but I am expecting an extremely competitive game on both sides of the football. The Seminoles ranked 15th in total last year, allowing just 321 yards per game. Perhaps more importantly, DL Jared Verse surprised a lot of folks by returning to Florida State instead of entering the NFL Draft. Verse is a preseason All-American and will anchor a Seminoles defense that will face a physical and believed to be improved LSU offensive front. The Tigers rely heavily on the run-attack to move the football, which makes the battle in the trenches fun to watch.

While Florida State may have the defensive advantage on paper, I would side with LSU as the more talented, collected group. DT Maason Smith and MLB Harold Perkins are All-American caliber players who will make the front seven tough against the run. The Tigers’ biggest concerns reside in the secondary, with a lack of depth at the cornerback position. The Seminoles have several new faces in the receiving corps this season, and it will be interesting to see if they can make plays for QB Jordan Travis. I’m not convinced that the Seminoles run game will be majorly successful in this match-up despite the pleasant return of RB Trey Benson. Therefore, Travis will need to make plays in order for the Seminoles to win their 2nd straight over LSU!

LSU vs. Florida State Betting Trends

• LSU is 11-2 SU in the last 13 games against ACC opponents
• LSU has hit the over in 7 of the last eight games
• LSU has hit the over in 11 of the last 14 season openers
• LSU is 4-1 ATS in the last five games as outright favorites
• Florida State is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 games
• Florida State is 6-0 SU in the last six games
• Florida State is 14-6 SU in the last 20 season openers
• Florida State has hit the over in 5 of the last seven games

LSU vs. Florida State Betting Prediction

As I alluded to above, I expect this to be a very competitive game on both sides of the football. Ultimately, I think defenses are going to match up well in this contest and keep this game relatively low-scoring. I don’t have major confidence on either side, but I will gladly take the under based on the match-up.
Jay’s Pick: Take the under 57.5.

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