LSU Football vs. Baylor Bears: What the Oddsmakers Predict to Happen

Brian Kelly and Co. will take on Baylor in Tuesday's Texas Bowl, eyeing victory No. 9 on the season.

Aaron Anderson 1 runs the ball as the LSU Tigers take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. Nov 23, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers are less than 48 hours away from taking the field in NRG Stadium in a Texas Bowl clash against the Baylor Bears.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT with the game to be live on ESPN.

LSU, winners of its last two regular-season games, brings an 8-4 overall mark into what will be the program’s third appearance in the Texas Bowl.

Baylor, with former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda at the helm, has won six straight and stands at 8-4 overall. It’s the first meeting between LSU and Baylor since the Bears posted a 21-7 win over the Tigers in the 1985 Liberty Bowl.

“The morale has been great and every guy that’s out there wants to be out there," Kelly said of bowl practice. “Practices have been lively, the guys are excited about preparing and they want the right outcome so they know they have to prepare the right way.

“It’s been fun for me as a coach and our coaches have been excited about the mindset of the group. We will have some first-time starters in this game and you’ll see that at times, but this is a group that wants to go out there and compete and they’ll compete hard.”

One of the young players getting extra work during bowl prep due to the departure of Mason Taylor and Ka’Morreun Pimpton is that of Trey’Dez Green, who has seen action at both tight end and wide receiver this year as a true freshman.

“The end line blocking is probably the area that we are most impressed with,” Kelly said of Green’s development during bowl preparation. “His want to and willingness to go in there and do some of the tough jobs. We are pretty excited about what’s he’s doing, how he’s doing and his demeanor because that’s an easy job to turn down and he’s been great.”

What is the game information for next week? The early betting odds? Predictions?

The Game Information: LSU Tigers vs. Baylor Bears

• Time: 2:30 PM CT
• Date: Tuesday, Dec. 31
• Venue: NRG Stadium
• TV Channel: ESPN

The Current Betting Lines: LSU Tigers vs. Baylor Bears

*(All odds according to DraftKings Sportsbook)*

Spread:
- LSU: (+4)
- Baylor: (-4)

Moneyline:
- LSU: (+136)
- Baylor: (-162)

Over/Under: 59

What the Oddsmakers Say:

Most sportsbooks have the Baylor Bears as the favorite heading into the New Year's Eve clash with the Tigers hovering around 3.5-point underdogs.

For Brian Kelly and his LSU squad, they will be without multiple starters on offense, including a trio of offensive lineman and a pair of starting wide receivers.

It'll certainly be a new-look group on Tuesday afternoon, but there are "expert models" that believe LSU has the edge.

We turned to the ESPN Football Power Index to provide some insight.

The ESPN Football Power Index Prediction:

Kelly and the LSU Tigers will have a 60.2% chance to come out with a victory on New Year's Eve against the Baylor Bears, according to ESPN's Football Power Index.

That leaves Baylor with a 39.8% chance to come out with a win on Tuesday afternoon.

Garrett Nussmeier and Co. will travel to Houston (Tex.) in a clash against the Bears with the program searching for win No. 9 on the season.

Despite all sportsbooks favoring Baylor, ESPN's Football Power Index is giving LSU the edge prior to next week's showdown in NRG Stadium.

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