Tennessee got conference play off to a good start last weekend with a 38-33 win over Florida. The Vols will try to make it 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC this weekend when they go on the road to face the LSU Tigers. Winning on the road is never easy, but the best online sportsbooks like the Vols as 2.5- to 3-point road favorites.
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Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has done an excellent job preparing the team each week, but bettors may have concerns stemming from the Florida game. The Vols (4-0, 3-1 ATS) were 11-point favorites at home against Florida. If they can’t cover at home against a good Gators team, can bettors expect them to cover on the road against a better LSU team (4-1, 3-2 ATS)?
Josh Heupel’s Record as a Road Favorite
Winning on the road in college football is never easy, even if a team is the favorite despite being the visiting team. As a head coach, Josh Heupel’s results when his team was a road favorite are a mixed bag. In the 12 games from his time at UCF (2018-20) to his present (2021-present) at Tennessee, Heupel has a 6-6 record.
He went 3-1 in such games during his first season as the UCF head coach in 2018, but he benefitted from inheriting a team that went undefeated the year before. But as time went on and the team became his, the Knights were just 2-5 as road favorites.
During his first season with the Vols, expectations were low. Consequently, they were road favorites just once last season (vs. Kentucky), a game which the Vols won.
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Tennessee vs. LSU Betting Odds
Tennessee got conference play off to a good start a couple of weeks ago with a win over Florida. Hendon Hooker had another great game throwing for 349 yards and two touchdowns, along with another 112 yards and a score on the ground. But the defense struggled against the Florida offense, giving up nearly 600 total yards, 453 coming in the passing game.
It’s hard to win a game when opponents can generate that much offense. Of course, it helps to have one of the best offenses in the country. The Vols have the No. 1 total offense in the country, the No. 2 passing game, and the No. 2 scoring average (48.5 points).
The last time LSU QB Jayden Daniels had a 300+ yard day was during his freshman season with Arizona State, but the Tigers’ offense has shown some nice balance this season. It’s averaging close to 200 yards a game on the ground and 250 in the passing game. Their defense will easily be the toughest the Vols have faced all season.
LSU ranks No. 19 in total defense and has allowed 14.8 points per game this season, which ranks 14th in the nation.
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Tennessee vs. LSU: Betting Analysis
From an entertainment standpoint, this may be the best game of the weekend. LSU’s offense struggled against Auburn, but the Tigers shouldn’t have nearly as much trouble against Tennessee’s pass defense (No. 128 in the country). It may take Hooker a little while to break through against a solid LSU defense, but he will.
It would not be shocking if the team that wins the game is the one that has the ball last.
Our Pick: Over 63.5
