Tennessee Volunteers vs. LSU Tigers Picks, Predictions, Odds

Daniel Dobish Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

The Tennessee Volunteers and LSU Tigers get together for a Top 25 showdown and an SEC game Saturday at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ESPN.

Updated on 12/22/2024

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TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS vs. LSU TIGERS BETTING PREDICTION

Man, it's an early-rise time for Saturday's SEC battle in Baton Rouge, with kickoff at 11 a.m. local time. Win or lose, after the game there will be plenty of time to knock back a few Abita Turbo Dogs to wash down the etouffee, lagniappe cakes and boudin balls at The Chimes Highland, if that's your thing. It certainly is mine.

The Volunteers of Tennessee roll into town with a top-10 ranking, and it is riding high after a 38-33 vanquishing of rival Florida last time out on Sept. 24. While the Vols didn't cover, and allowed a season-high 33 points, that's all inconsequential. Tennessee has struggled over the years with Florida, and any win is major. The Vols are 4-0 SU/3-1 ATS, and the OVER has also cashed in three of four games overall this season. Oddly enough, the only time the OVER did not cash was in the overtime win at Pittsburgh.

Is LSU back? Well, head coach Brian Kelly certainly has his team performing a lot better than his fake Southern accent. Yeah, that's still a thing, and always will be. But if he keeps winning ball games, even the most hardened Cajun will be OK with his silliness and quirkiness. The Bayou Bengals have won four in a row, while going 3-1 ATS during the run, and the UNDER has cashed in each of the past three outings. The defense has been showing out, allowing 17 or fewer points in each of the past four, including each of the first two in conference play.

Score Prediction: Tennessee 30, LSU 24
Best Bet: Tennessee -2.5 (-120)
Best Bet: UNDER 65 (-108)

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS vs. LSU TIGERS BETTING ODDS

More Odds | Futures Odds | CFP Central

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS vs. LSU TIGERS BETTING RESOURCES

Date: Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022
Matchup: SEC
Venue: Tiger Stadium
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Time-TV: ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET
Expert Picks

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS BETTING ANALYSIS

The Volunteers lead the nation in total yards per game, posting 559.3, and they're second overall in the country with 365.8 passing yards per contest. QB Hendon Hooker has been lights out, completing 71.7% of his passes for 1,193 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions while also running for 175 yards and three scores. When he isn't toting the rock, RB Jaylen Wright is the beneficiary of most carries, going for 256 yards and four scores, with 4.7 yards per attempt.

Of course, if Hooker is slinging it around, the receivers have to have some big numbers. WR Jalin Hyatt leads the way with 23 grabs, 325 yards and three scores through four games, but two others have 13 or more catches, too, and WR Bru McCoy lead the team with 16.2 yards per reception.

On defense, Tennessee could be much better. The Vols are solid against the run, yielding just 98.0 yards per game, but they allow a dismal 309.3 yards per game, ranking 128th out of 131 FBS teams. That might be fine against the likes of Akron, Ball State, Florida and Pittsburgh, but it will not fly against top-tier teams like Georgia, etc. However, to be fair, a lot of those yards came with the game already decided and the MAC opponents passing on nearly every down, trying to get back into the game. The Vols have allowed just 19.0 PPG, which is pretty impressive at 29th in the country.

The Vols are 1-5 ATS in the past six SEC games, and 4-12 ATS in the past 16 games against teams with a winning record. For totals, it's all about the OVER lately, going 13-3 in the past 16 games overall, 5-0 in the past five SEC games and 4-1 in the past five on the road, while cashing in five of the past six against winning sides.

LSU TIGERS BETTING ANALYSIS

The Tigers could've gone sideways after that Labor Day weekend defeat to Florida State in New Orleans, losing in excruciating fashion on a blocked extra point to tie with no time on the clock. LSU has shown tremendous emotional strength to put that in the rear-view mirror.

LSU is just 1-5 ATS in its past six games in the month of October, but 4-1 ATS in the past five in Death Valley, while going 3-1-1 ATS in the past five conference games.

And unlike Tennessee, it's all about the UNDER for LSU, so it will be interesting to see if offense or defense reigns supreme here. The UNDER is 4-1 in LSU's five games this season, while going 5-1 in the past six inside the SEC, and 7-2 in the past nine on a natural grass surface. The UNDER is also 5-2 in the past seven at Tiger Stadium.

LSU has won the past five meetings with Tennessee dating back to the last win for the Vols on Sept. 26, 2005, coming in Baton Rouge by a 30-27 count. The most recent meeting, and it's so hard to believe, was Nov. 18, 2017, a 30-10 win in Knoxville. This is just the second meeting between these schools since Oct. 15, 2011, and the first time the teams have faced each other in Baton Rouge since Oct. 2, 2010.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS vs. LSU TIGERS BETTING TRENDS

• Tennessee is 1-5 ATS in the past six SEC games
• Tennessee is 4-12 ATS in the past 16 vs. winning teams
• LSU is 4-1 ATS in the past five home games
• LSU is 3-1-1 ATS in the past five SEC games
• OVER is 13-3 in the past 16 for Tennessee
• OVER is 4-1 in the past five road games for Tennessee
• OVER is 5-0 in the past five SEC games for Tennessee
• UNDER is 4-1 in the past five for LSU
• UNDER is 5-2 in the past seven home games for LSU
• UNDER is 5-1 in the past six SEC games for LSU

Daniel Dobish

Dan is a handicapper and sports betting expert for VegasInsider with years of experience writing for a number of top publications in the industry. More from Daniel Dobish