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Florida vs. LSU was without a doubt one of the most wagered on games in Saturday's College Football slate. The two most heavily bet on games early on were Auburn vs. Arkansas and Alabama vs. Mississippi.
Sportsbetting.com was among the only online sportsbooks offering the Gators as a -7 ½ point favorite. Most of the other betting firms moved this one up to -8 by Saturday morning. LSU was now getting around 70 percent of the betting action. There is a remote possibility that one or more of the online betting companies might move the line up to LSU +8 ½ as Bookmaker.com did for about a half hour Friday night. This would allow for a middling opportunity (bet both sides) should Florida win by 8 points. For LSU backers, Bookmaker.com currently had the line on Florida vs. LSU at Tigers +8. Anyone looking specifically for a middling opportunity might want to observe this game closely throughout the day.
Florida didn't need Tim Tebow to perform like a world beater in its first four games, but a scary injury could mean the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner won't be at full strength heading into the team's biggest road test of the season.
The Gators may not even have him at all.
Tebow's recovery from a concussion could keep him out of top-ranked Florida's Southeastern Conference showdown in Baton Rouge on Saturday night, when No. 4 LSU will try to end the defending national champions' 14-game winning streak.
Tebow is third in the nation in passer rating through four games (170.3), has thrown six touchdown passes and run for five others while averaging a modest 160.5 yards per game through the air, but fans in Gainesville are hardly concerned with their senior quarterback's numbers as he tries to join Ohio State's Archie Griffin as college football's only two-time Heisman winners.
ESPN is reporting that Tebow will play if he passes medical testing before Florida's game against LSU, a Gators source said Saturday morning.
The decision will be made well before the kickoff for the 8 p.m. ET game but probably won't be known until the team gets to the stadium, the source said.
The Gators will be "locked down" with meetings and game prep from around noon to 5 p.m., the source said, and no announcements were expected until afterward.
Some important Florida vs. LSU odds betting trends to consider:
The Gators are 11-0 ATS in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
The Gators are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 road games.
Florida is 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a S.U. win.
The Gators are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a SU win of more than 20 points.
The Gators are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 conference games.
The Tigers are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 games as an underdog of 3.5-10.0.
The Tigers are 8-21-1 ATS in their last 30 conference games.
Tigers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games following a S.U. win.
The Tigers are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 home games.
The LSU trends are not favorable, especially entering a game against a team of Florida's caliber. Gambling911.com will be on the Florida Gators to cover at -8 ½.
Remember, Sportsbetting.com was among the only online sportsbooks offering the Gators as a -7 ½ point favorite.
Bookmaker.com had LSU as the +8 underdog for those backing Louisiana State University.
A middling opportunity (chance to bet both sides) could present itself throughout the day on the Florida vs. LSU game.
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
