Wisconsin vs. LSU Betting Line – Week 1 College Football 2014

Written by:
Carrie Stroup
Published on:
Aug/29/2014
Wisconsin vs. LSU Betting Line – Week 1 College Football 2014

Carrie Stroup here with your Wisconsin vs. LSU betting line for Week 1 of the 2014 College Football season.  Place your 1st bet and get your 2nd bet FREE here at Sportsbook.ag.

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: LSU -5.5 & 50

The marquee non-conference Week 1 college football game takes place at NRG Stadium in Houston on Saturday night as No. 13 Wisconsin takes on No. 14 LSU.

The staple of the Badgers the past few seasons has been their rushing game, and in Gary Andersen's first year as head coach in 2013, that trend continued. The Badgers ranked eighth in the country in rushing (283.8 YPG), and once again have the makings of one of the best ground games in the nation. Melvin Gordon (1,609 rush yards, 7.8 YPC, 12 TD) is one of the elite running backs in the country, and last year, he was splitting carries with James White, who rushed for 1,444 yards himself. With White gone, a 2,000-yard season is a definite possibility. However, if the Badgers (9-3 ATS, 8-5 UNDER) are going to contend for a Big Ten title, they will have to get much stronger play in the passing game. Junior Tanner McEvoy, who played receiver and safety for the Badgers last season, will get the nod here. Joel Stave (2,294 pass yds, 22 TD, 13 INT) was the starter last season, but was inconsistent at times and allowed the defenses to focus on the running game. At 6-foot-6, 222 pounds, McEvoy is a prototypical quarterback who has a strong arm. The ability to throw it deep will play a huge role this season, as the play-action fake could open things up even more for a rushing game that has four starters back on the offensive line. Unlike the Badgers, the Tigers are bringing in a lot of young players on the offense, but there is a ton of talent. All of the talk in Baton Rouge this offseason has been about incoming freshman RB Leonard Fournette, who is already being heralded as the best player ever from the state of Louisiana, even before he plays a game at LSU. At 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, Fournette is a rare combination of size and speed for the running back position. The ground game of the Tigers (5-7 ATS, 8-4 OVER) will be key as the team has very little experience at the quarterback position. Sophomore QB Anthony Jennings and freshman QB Brandon Harris are both players with a lot of talent, but have very little experience.  Both teams are going to rely on the rushing game, while also playing terrific defense. The Badgers benefit from underdogs of 3.5 to 10 points in the first two weeks of the year coming off a bowl season and two straight defeats going 34-10 ATS (77%) since 1992, but the Tigers are 6-0 ATS on a neutral field where the total is between 49.5 and 56 in this same timeframe. Neither team has any significant injuries, but LSU will be without suspended S Jalen Mills.

Wisconsin is going to heavily rely on Gordon in the ground game, because of a new quarterback and a team that is missing its top four receivers from last season. Sophomore WR Alex Erickson (nine catches, 127 yards) has some potential to be a very good player, but it is still yet to be known if he is ready to be a No. 1 receiver on a conference championship contender. The passing game ranked 96th in the country last season (197.1 yards), and that was with much more experienced receivers. McEvoy is an intriguing prospect because of his size and the ability to throw the deep ball, but he will be tested on Saturday night as the Tigers could put eight, or even nine men in the box. The defense of the Badgers was very good last year, (6th in FBS in points allowed, 16.3 PPG) and will be counted upon to carry the team, especially early. Marcus Trotter (23 tackles) did not see the field a lot last season, but he will be taking over the middle linebacker spot for Chris Borland, who is currently with the San Francisco 49ers. The secondary should be a strength of the team, with three starters coming back. Safety Michael Caputo (63 tackles) is the leading returner on the defense, and brings that nasty mentality you want to see from the safety position. In this game, he may be playing in the box a lot more than usual, as the LSU Tigers do not figure to be throwing the ball down field a ton.

Last season, the Tigers were blessed to have Zac Mettenberger at the quarterback position, as he had one of the biggest arms in all of college football. The Tigers averaged 35.8 PPG on offense last year (26th in FBS), while finishing 29th in rushing (202.3 YPG). While Fournette has gotten all the talk, senior RB Terrence Magee (759 rush yards, 9 TD) will also get a lot of carries as well. In Les Miles’ tenure at LSU, his best teams have been able to use two or three different running backs to get the job done. This will be especially important this season, as the Tigers are in the same boat as the Badgers, losing some serious receiving talent. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry were one of the best receiving duos in all of the country last season. Travin Dural (seven catches, 145 yards, 2 TD) is the top guy returning. The sophomore is 6-foot-2, and has many of the same talents that Landry and Beckham have. There are a lot of question marks on the offensive side of the ball, but if the Tigers are going to make some noise this year, it will be because of their defense. The unit ranked 21st in the country last season, allowing 22.0 PPG. The back seven has the chance to be as good as any in the country, but the defensive line is where the question marks remain. Jermauria Rasco (56 tackles and four sacks) is a talented player returning from a defense that ranked third in the SEC against the run, but this unit will need to be strong. Tre’Davious White (55 tackles, 2 INT) and Rashard Robinson (16 tackles, 1 INT) have a chance to be the best secondary duo in the country. LSU has been known as the DBU in recent years with Patrick Peterson and Morris Claiborne making it to the next level, but this duo has a chance to be just as special.

 

NCAA FOOTBALL - MEN - Aug 30

GAME PLAYED AT CROKE PARK - DUBLIN, IRELAND

 

Aug 30

155

PENN STATE

+2-115

o46-110

+110

 

8:30 AM

156

CENTRAL FLORIDA

-2-105

u46-110

-130

 

Aug 30

157

OHIO STATE

-16-105

o56-110

-800

 

12:00 PM

158

NAVY

+16-115

u56-110

+550

 

Aug 30

159

UCLA

-21½-110

o56½-110

 
 

12:00 PM

160

VIRGINIA

+21½-110

u56½-110

 
 

Aug 30

161

APPALACHIAN ST

+34½-110

o54-110

 
 

12:00 PM

162

MICHIGAN

-34½-110

u54-110

 
 

Aug 30

163

TROY

+2½-110

o67½-110

+120

 

12:00 PM

164

UAB

-2½-110

u67½-110

-140

 

Aug 30

165

CALIFORNIA

+11-110

o60-110

+330

 

3:30 PM

166

NORTHWESTERN

-11-110

u60-110

-410

 

Aug 30

167

GEORGIA SOUTHERN

+20½-115

o55-110

 
 

12:30 PM

168

NC STATE

-20½-105

u55-110

 
 

Aug 30

169

FLORIDA ATLANTIC

+20½-110

o51-110

 
 

3:30 PM

170

NEBRASKA

-20½-110

u51-110

 
 

Aug 30

171

BOSTON COLLEGE

-17½-110

o48½-110

 
 

3:00 PM

172

MASSACHUSETTS

+17½-110

u48½-110

 
 

Aug 30

173

MARSHALL

-24-110

o59½-110

 
 

3:30 PM

174

MIAMI OHIO

+24-110

u59½-110

 
 

Aug 30

175

RICE

     
 

3:30 PM

176

NOTRE DAME

     

GAME PLAYED AT GEORGIA DOME - ATLANTA, GA

 

Aug 30

177

ALABAMA

-26-110

o56-110

 
 

3:30 PM

178

WEST VIRGINIA

+26-110

u56-110

 
 

Aug 30

179

ARKANSAS

+18½-110

o57½-110

 
 

4:00 PM

180

AUBURN

-18½-110

u57½-110

 
 

Aug 30

181

CLEMSON

+7-105

o55½-110

+245

 

5:30 PM

182

GEORGIA

-7-115

u55½-110

-290

 

Aug 30

183

OHIO

+2½-105

o48-110

+125

 

6:00 PM

184

KENT STATE

-2½-115

u48-110

-145

 

Aug 30

185

LOUISIANA TECH

+38-110

o52-110

 
 

7:00 PM

186

OKLAHOMA

-38-110

u52-110

 
 

Aug 30

187

WESTERN MICHIGAN

+10½-110

o52½-110

+315

 

12:00 PM

188

PURDUE

-10½-110

u52½-110

-380

 

Aug 30

189

IDAHO

+36½-110

o51-110

 
 

7:00 PM

190

FLORIDA

-36½-110

u51-110

 
 

Aug 30

191

FRESNO STATE

+21½-110

o58-110

 
 

7:30 PM

192

USC

-21½-110

u58-110

 
 

Aug 30

193

SOUTHERN MISS

+31-110

o55-110

 
 

7:30 PM

194

MISSISSIPPI ST

-31-110

u55-110

 
 

Aug 30

195

WASHINGTON U

-17-110

o59½-110

 
 

10:30 PM

196

HAWAII

+17-110

u59½-110

 

GAME PLAYED AT AT-T STADIUM - ARLINGTON, TX

 

Aug 30

197

FLORIDA STATE

-17-110

o63-110

 
 

8:00 PM

198

OKLAHOMA STATE

+17-110

u63-110

 
 

Aug 30

199

NORTH TEXAS

+24½-110

o51½-110

 
 

8:00 PM

200

TEXAS

-24½-110

u51½-110

 
 

Aug 30

201

UTEP

+7½-110

o67-110

+255

 

8:00 PM

202

NEW MEXICO

-7½-110

u67-110

-310

GAME PLAYED AT NRG STADIUM - HOUSTON, TX

 

Aug 30

203

LSU

-4½-110

o50½-110

-200

 

9:00 PM

204

WISCONSIN

+4½-110

u50½-110

+170

NCAA FOOTBALL - MEN - Aug 31

 

Aug 31

205

UTAH STATE

+5½-110

o51-110

+195

 

7:00 PM

206

TENNESSEE U

-5½-110

u51-110

-235

 

Aug 31

207

SMU

+32-110

o74-110

 
 

7:30 PM

208

BAYLOR

-32-110

u74-110

 

NCAA FOOTBALL - MEN - Sep 01

 

Sep 01

209

MIAMI FLORIDA

+3½-105

o53½-110

+150

 

8:00 PM

210

LOUISVILLE

-3½-115

u53½-110

-170

- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter

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