The National Champions in 2019 didn’t have a great season in 2020, finishing 5-5 on the year. They were lead by Head Coach Ed Orgeron, who is now entering his fifth season with the team. After not being able to finish with six wins, the LSU Tigers were ineligible for a bowl game. However, they had already instituted a self-imposed bowl ban, barring them from competing in one. This bowl ban was due to an ongoing investigation in the LSU organization.
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With the 2020 season behind us, the Tigers will look to start rising again in the rankings. They are one of the most popular and loved teams in college football, so we can expect them to bounce back. With Head Coach Ed Orgeron at the helm, the LSU Tigers can’t be held down for long. Between them and the three other contenders in the SEC, what’s the best way to bet on the Tigers this season.
2021 LSU Tigers Futures Betting Odds
LSU Tigers National Championship Odds: +3500
LSU Tigers Conference Champion Odds: +1400
LSU Tigers Win Totals Odds: Over 9 (-104) vs. Under 9 (-115)
Over the last two years, the LSU Tigers have lost a lot of key players, and this year was no different. LSU comes in with the fourth-best odds to win the SEC, slightly behind Texas A&M. Being behind doesn’t mean they don’t have a chance, but against Georgia and Alabama, LSU could be in trouble. Their National Championship odds have them even with teams like the Wisconsin Badgers, who aren’t even in the conversation.
The schedule laid out in front of LSU is what made the under 9 games win total a higher favorite. They have the Crimson Tide and Aggies on their schedule, which is likely both being considered as losses by oddsmakers. In the event they lose both of those, they’d still have one game left to lose. This leads me to believe that oddsmakers might be underestimating the Tigers this year. Even if they lost those two games, the rest of the games look straightforward in their favor.
2021 LSU Tigers Offseason Grade: B+
Key Additions: (QB, Walker Howard), (OT, Will Campbell), (S, Jacoby Matthews)
Key Departures: (LB, Jabril Cox), (DT, Tyler Shelvin), (S, Jacoby Stevens)
Strangely enough, the LSU Tigers focused on shoring up their offense during the offseason. You would think, as a team that surrendered 34.9 points a game, they’d focus on defense. However, they landed some solid recruits that should serve the coaching staff well. The only concern is what they’ll plan to do about such a fragile defense.
An offense is only as good as the defense, and without their Heisman winner Joe Burrow, the offense is in shambles. Even with the addition of Walker Howard, a highly-rated recruit, the Tigers are still in jeopardy. The defense has too many weak points, and that was evident last season. It would seem the Tigers are looking for more long-term plans than just competing in 2021.
LSU Tigers Preview 2021
The Tigers are in shape to have a better season than last year, although not amounting to much in the end. Without any changes on defense, the Tigers run the risk of becoming heavily reliant on offense. This issue will be exploited by the teams they face in the College Football Playoffs. We doubt the Tigers have a scheme to stop the fierce offense of the Georgia Bulldogs. With that said, we can’t expect much postseason success from the Tigers in 2021.
LSU Tigers Futures Best Bets
Because the schedule throughout the season goes in favor of the Tigers, the best bet here is over 9 games. LSU has enough skill to win the games they should win, and there’s no denying that. However, you should expect losses to Alabama and Texas A&M because the Tigers will again have a sub-par defense.
When it comes to the selection in the SEC, you’d be better off taking an underdog like Texas A&M instead of LSU. LSU could potentially only lose two games in the season, but when the playoffs come, they’ll fall.
Nevertheless, Geaux Tigers!
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