LSU vs. Ole Miss College Football Picks: The No. 10 ranked LSU Tigers (8-2,4-2 SEC) travel to Oxford, Miss., to play the Ole Miss Rebels (7-3,3-3 SEC) on Saturday (3:30 pm ET, CBS) in a crucial SEC West battle. With Alabama already having clinched the SEC West, today's game between the Rebels and Tigers could determine which team gets a really good non-BCS bowl or which team falls down the bowl pecking order.
College football picks oddsmakers at BetUS.com list Ole Miss as 4 1/2-chalk ATS and -190 moneyline favorites versus the Tigers with a 44 total. LSU backers are getting +160 moneyline odds as the road underdog.The injury bug has hit the LSU offense at a time when the unit has been inconsistent at best. With running back Charles Scott out of the lineup, LSU's top offensive players are QB Jordan Jefferson, RB Keiland Williams and WRs Brandon LaFell and Terrance Toliver. LaFell and Toliver have combined for more receptions (85) than any other wide receiver tandem in the SEC. Williams had LSU's second 100-yard rushing game of the year last week vs. Louisiana Tech with 116 yards on 15 carries. Jefferson is No. 5 in the SEC in pass efficiency and his four interceptions is ties for the fewest among starting quarterbacks in the league.
Defensively, the Tigers have gone six straight games without allowing a first quarter touchdown. The Tigers are allowing just 13.7 points and 311.8 total yards per game. Defensively, a trio of linebackers – Kelvin Sheppard, Perry Riley and Harry Coleman pace the Tigers. CB Patrick Peterson is No.3 in the SEC in passes defended with 13. Sheppard ranks No. 3 in the SEC in tackles with 8.7 per game.
The Tigers will need to be on its toes to keep Ole Miss receiver/running back Dexter McCluster contained. McCluster posted school records of 282 rushing yards and 324 all-purpose yards against Tennessee. McCluster’s 324 all-purpose yards is the 8th highest in SEC history and the 7th highest in an SEC intra-conference game. McCluster is averaging 197.0 rushing yards and 262.3 all-purpose yards with five TDs over the last three SEC games. Senior WR Shay Hodge is averaging 105.0 yards and 6.2 receptions over the last five games and with a pair of 100-yard receiving games in that span. For the season, he ranks second in the SEC in both receptions and receiving yards.
College Football Picks: Ole Miss will have a problem running its Wild-Rebel offense against this tough LSU defense. The Rebels have been insconsistent on offense – at times brilliant while featuring McCluster and at other times inept. We like LSU getting the points in this game.
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