CFB Wagering: A hot pick to get back to the Big Ten Conference Championship game are the #14 Wisconsin Badgers as second year head coach Gary Andersen went 9-4 in his first season on the job for a smooth transition but must replace eight starters on a questionable defense. The LSU Tigers showed marked improvement on offense last year but their defense slipped a notch due to the NFL continually picking at its talented and deep roster of top shelf recruits. The LSU Tigers will face the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX with coverage on ESPN starting at 9 PM ET. BetDSI opened with LSU as a four point favorite.
Speed over Brawn
The Badgers have always been a beefy and brawny team but one change that Andersen is making for the defensive side is a greater emphasis on speed over size. Andersen is counting on the extra speed forcing more turnovers. It is a dicey risk and will be fascinating to watch as the entire front seven is new. In another twist junior QB Tanner McEvoy has ousted junior Joel Stave from the starting spot as McEvoy is much more versatile and adds the element of a read option that Anderson prefers and is similar in look to what Auburn does. Wisconsin has covered just one out of their last six neutral site games.
Tiger by the Tail
LSU also has had a hot competition for the number one QB spot with sophomores Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris battling for the gig. Tenth year head coach Les Miles may wait to a day or two before the game with the final call. Regardless, second year offensive coordinator Cam Cameron got rave reviews for his coherent and well-designed attack. Cameron faces the challenge of jumpstarting an offense that lost two out of its top three rushers, its starting QB, and its top three receivers. The talented defense must again replace NFL departures and has been worn down by that issue as the Tigers allowed 22 points per game last year, five points above their 2012 average. LSU has covered just four out of their last six nonconference games.
Our Pick
We still need more proof that the Big Ten can consistently play with the SEC. LSU is the call!
