College Football Odds: SEC Week 11 picks against the spread
Nov 7, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette (7) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 30-16. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
- Date: Saturday November 14, 2015
- Time: 7:15 PM Eastern
- Location: Baton Rouge, LA
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Spread: LSU -7.5
- Over/Under Total: 54
Leonard Fournette may still lead the nation with 1,383 rushing yards, and the season-long Heisman Trophy front-runner has scored 16 touchdowns and has averaged 7.1 yards per carry, but Fournette was completely neutralized last week in the Tigers’ 30-16 loss to Alabama. He did score a touchdown, but Fournette gained just 31 yards on the ground against the Crimson Tide on 19 carries.
The LSU rushing attack, which averages 277.3 yards per game this season, was held to 54 rushing yards on 26 carries. Quarterback Brandon Harris didn’t help matters much and threw for just 128 yards with a touchdown and an interception on 6-for-19 passing. Overall, LSU gained a measly 182 total yards of offense.
On the other side of the ball, the Tigers surrendered 484 total yards to the Alabama offense, and running back Derrick Henry outshine Fournette and LSU with 210 rushing yards and three scores.
Now ranked No. 9 in the nation and needing an Alabama loss to get back in the driver’s seat in the SEC West, LSU faces another tough test with an improved Arkansas team traveling to Baton Rouge this weekend.
Quarterback Brandon Allen led the Razorbacks to a dramatic 53-52 overtime victory against Ole Miss last week with 445 passing yards and six TDs. Furthermore, running back Alex Collins (who has more than 1,000 rushing yards for the third consecutive season) and the Hogs’ offensive line are nearly as physical as Alabama, and are capable of big things against LSU.
Arkansas doesn’t have nearly level of talent as Alabama on defense, and the Razorbacks have surrendered 413.0 total yards per game this season, but the Hogs have held opponents to a modest 129.4 rushing yards on average. The Razorbacks won’t dominate the line of scrimmage like Alabama did, but they are still capable of an upset.
LSU was beaten up by Alabama on both sides of the football, and now that the Tigers face long odds to make it to the SEC Championship Game or the College Football Playoff, there is a strong reason to be concerned about the hangover effect. Therefore, expect the game to be close.
However, because the game is in Death Valley and because Fournette and his teammates will be looking for redemption, the Tigers should still win.
— Who are you picking in this week’s games from the SEC? Let us know in the comments section about the picks you agree with and where you disagree.