LSU Tigers vs. UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

Saturday night features a battle of the SEC versus Pac-12 as the LSU Tigers (0-0) take on the UCLA Bruins (1-0). The Bruins will host this game at the Rose Bowl, with kickoff scheduled for 8:30 pm ET.

Last season, LSU finished a disappointing 5-5 overall and were .500 both at home and on the road. Head coach Ed Orgeron will look to get the Tigers off on the right foot Saturday as they travel to southern California.

Like LSU, the UCLA Bruins also had a down year last year. They were 3-4 overall and struggled away from home (1-2). Head coach Chip Kelly was able to open the season last week with a win over Hawaii, but he and the Bruins will face much stiffer competition this week.

The LSU Tigers are the favorites despite playing on the road Saturday. They are -140 to win while the Bruins’ moneyline sits at +114. The spread features UCLA +2.5 (-110), and the over/under for total points is 64.5.

By The Numbers

Last season UCLA held the advantage in terms of offense. They ranked 19th overall averaging 35.4 points per game. The LSU Tigers ranked 37th, averaging 32 points (27.3 on the road).

Defensively, it was once again the Bruins with the advantage. They ranked 71st in scoring defense, allowing opponents 30.7 points per game. LSU ranked 96th allowing 34.9 points per game.

Current Season Odds

LSU currently has the fifth-best odds of winning the SEC this year at +3000. For UCLA, they are +1200 to win the Pac-12 (sixth-best).

LSU Looks For Win Despite Rough Week

This was certainly not a normal or stress-free week of preparation for the LSU Tigers. With hurricane Ida hitting the gulf, the Tigers have been practicing and preparing for this game away from campus at the facility of the Houston Texans. While the circumstances have not been ideal, they are still hoping to come out and make a statement on Saturday.

Unfortunately for LSU, quarterback Myles Brennan suffered an injury to his arm and is out of action. As a result, it will be sophomore Max Johnson leading the way under center.

Last season, he played in parts of eight games, throwing for 1,069 yards, eight touchdowns, and just a single interception.

UCLA Looks To Move To 2-0

As one of the few teams to have already played a game, UCLA is hoping to shock the LSU Tigers and move to 2-0 this week. Last week, the Bruins were able to beat Hawaii 44-10. In the win, Dorian Thompson-Robinson led the passing attack with 130 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Kazmeir Allen had two receptions for 47 yards, including the lone touchdown reception.

The biggest star for the Bruins was running back Zach Charbonnet. The Michigan transfer eclipsed the 100-yard mark with just six carries. He also had three touchdowns on those six carries. Running back Brittain Brown also played well. He rushed 13 times for 78 yards and another score.

Take LSU To Win And Cover

There is no denying how impressive UCLA looked last week against Hawaii; however, LSU is not Hawaii. While the Tigers had a rough season last year, expect them to give the Bruins more struggles this week than anything they experienced last week.

The key on offense is obviously the effectiveness of Max Johnson, but even more key for the Tigers is a defense that struggled with consistency last season.

Despite having to be displaced from their normal practice facilities and routine, expect Orgeron to have his guys ready. Take LSU to not only win this game but to cover the modest 2.5-point spread as well.