Although it’s early in the season, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the No. 4-ranked LSU Tigers (4-0, 1-0 SEC) when the SEC school travels to Mississippi to face the No. 13-ranked Rebels (4-0, 2-0 SEC) on Saturday.
LSU rides into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with a Heisman favorite in Garrett Nussmeier. The quarterback has experienced some struggles this season, but the Tigers have won all four of their contests by at least one touchdown.
Ole Miss has been equally as impressive this season, earning three wins over quality opponents. Their 45-10 victory last week over Tulane was a beatdown against a non-Power 4 team that was being touted as a potential playoff contender.
While a loss would not end either team’s dream of making the playoffs later this year, a win will certainly be a big feather in the other team’s cap. Will Ole Miss or LSU have bragging rights following this SEC matchup? We’ll cover that and our three top player prop bets below.
LSU Tigers QB Garrett Nussmeier OVER 286.5 Passing Yards
The Tigers haven’t asked Nussmeier to carry the load this season, allowing the senior quarterback to rely on the team’s running game in their four victories. That’s why in four games, the 6-foot-1 player has just 962 passing yards and six touchdowns on his resume.
This year, he’s yet to surpass 300 passing yards. Bettors should expect him to do so on Saturday, however. Ole Miss allowed Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green to finish with 305 yards earlier this month, and Nussmeier is a stronger signal-caller than his Razorback counterpart.
Ole Miss Rebels RB Kewan Lacy OVER 67.5 Rushing Yards
The Rebels have multiple quarterbacks capable of running the football. Senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has nearly 200 rushing yards in four games, while sophomore sensation Austin Simmons posted 69 rushing yards in just over two complete outings this season.
Who Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin will start under center is anyone’s guess. Simmons suffered an ankle injury, but he’s been left off the Rebels’ injury report this week. That’s why neither quarterback is a good bet for individuals to make.
Instead, turn your focus to sophomore running back Kewan Lacy. He’s rushed for 358 yards and seven touchdowns thus far and was featured against Kentucky earlier this season. In that outing, Lacy recorded 138 yards on 28 carries. Expect Ole Miss to feed him the ball early and often, making him a favorite to cover his 67.5-yard rushing prop bet.
LSU Tigers WR Aaron Anderson OVER 73.5 Receiving Yards
Nussmeier has two upperclassmen receivers he relies on this season. Senior Barion Brown and junior Aaron Anderson are a dynamic duo, having caught 41 passes for 492 yards this season.
Anderson may have the higher ceiling against the Rebels. The 5-foot-8 receiver is averaging 14 yards per reception, and he’s a deep threat Nussmeier will target throughout the game. Take Anderson to cover his player prop bet on Saturday in this pivotal SEC contest.
Best Bet: OVER 54.5 Points
LSU’s defense looked solid against Clemson to start the season, holding the then-ranked No. 4 team to just 10 points. But those Tigers have fallen off precipitously since then, and the shine LSU earned from that 17-10 victory has faded.
The Ole Miss defense has been steady this season. Still, the Rebels have allowed Kentucky and Arkansas to score at least 23 points in each contest, showing that Ole Miss – which is favored in this contest by 1.5 points – will have to score on LSU to win the game.
Rivalry contests are often hard to predict. While I’d like to say with confidence that LSU wins this road game, the best bet is taking the over on the combined points. Eight of the past 10 matchups between LSU and Ole Miss have been high-scoring affairs, surpassing the 54.5-point mark. Expect another on Saturday when the Tigers head to the Grove.
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