This weekend’s college football schedule may look a little boring to some pigskins fans, with the top two teams in the nation (No. 1 USC and No. 2 Oklahoma) both on a bye. However, the NCAAF betting slate isn’t completely void of ranked matchups, with No. 6 LSU dropping in on No. 10 Auburn in an SEC battle, and No. 18 Wake Forest taking on No. 24 Florida State in an ACC showdown.
The annual battle between LSU and Auburn will be another interesting affair for whichever announcers end up calling the game, since both teams are named the Tigers. LSU, the reigning national champions, have started the season 2-0, but it’s a pretty meaningless 2-0 since those wins came against pushovers Appalachian State and North Texas. Just last week LSU destroyed North Texas 41-3, but they did not cover the spread, as they were a 44.5-point favorite on the NCAAF odds. Running back Charles Scott rumbled for 102 yards and two touchdowns on only seven carries, while the LSU defense took care of the rest, holding North Texas to 199 total yards.
The Auburn Tigers relied heavily on their defense in their latest win, a 3-2 squeaker against Mississippi State. Auburn also failed to cover in that win as a 10-point favorite on the NCAAF odds. Auburn’s only points came off a field goal from kicker Wes Byrum, while the Tigers’ defense allowed only 116 total yards. Not only did the Tigers’ offense struggle to move the ball, they also recorded three fumbles in the close win.
Last season LSU defeated Auburn 30-24 as a 10-point favorite. That maintained an ongoing trend in this series, as the home team has won the last eight meetings between Auburn and LSU. That bodes well for Auburn, although LSU is a 2.5-point road favorite.
The Demon Deacons used to be a write-off game for Florida State - but not anymore. Wake Forest has upset Florida State the last two seasons, including a 24-21 win as a 5-point underdog last year. Prior to Wake Forest’s upset victory two years ago, the Demon Deacons hadn’t beaten the Seminoles in 33 years.
Both teams head into Saturday’s game undefeated. Wake Forest barely stayed that way last week, with a close 30-28 win over Mississippi. Sam Swank’s field goal with only seconds remaining in the fourth quarter secured the victory for Wake Forest, who failed to cover as a 7-point favorite.
The Seminoles blasted Chattanooga 47-6 last week in another easy game. Florida State also rolled over Western Carolina 69-0 in their opener. In their rout of Chattanooga Christian Ponder tossed three touchdown strikes before watching the last part of the game from the sidelines.