LSU Football vs. Florida Gators: Nick Saban, College GameDay Crew Make Picks

Nick Saban and Co. log their picks for the Southeastern Conference clash, Tigers head to The Swamp.

Courtesy of LSU Football.

Nick Saban and the ESPN College GameDay crew made their way to Athens (Ga.) this weekend for an SEC showdown between the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers.

All eyes will be on the in-conference clash with significant postseason implications on the line in Sanford Stadium.

For the LSU Tigers, Brian Kelly's program will square off against the Florida Gators in Gainesville with a chance to bounce back after consecutive losses to Alabama and Texas A&M.

Saban remains an advocate for the Bayou Bengals and his Saturday afternoon pick reflects that once again.

After a 17-year tenure with the Crimson Tide, Saban joined the ESPN College GameDay crew this year and hasn't skipped a beat.

"[Saban] has been phenomenal," College GameDay host Rece Davis said on Oct. 15. "The quickness with which he has adapted to television. He's one of the most gifted communicators I've ever been around. He can explain things and grab your attention in psychological football or he's telling you about his business ventures. He can communicate. Everybody knows this and it's why everyone in the world wants him to come and speak."

"But television and fitting into a group is a different dynamic," Davis said. "Usually for most people, I think it almost takes a full season. For him, he's adapted very quickly. He understands the team, he's a great advocate for the show, he comes up with ideas and he's not shy about expressing his opinion yet he is not overbearing. That guy listens to everybody and takes it into consideration. He's been great and I think probably how quickly he's been great has been the only thing that's surprised me."

Now, Saban and the GameDay crew have logged their predictions for the result between the Bayou Bengals and Gators:

The Game Information: LSU Tigers at Florida Gators

• Time: 3:30 PM ET
• Date: Saturday, Nov. 16
• Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
• TV Channel: ABC Network

The College GameDay Picks:

Desmond Howard: Florida
Nick Saban: LSU
Pat McAfee: LSU
Cody Rhodes: LSU
Lee Corso: LSU
Kirk Herbstreit: LSU

The College GameDay crew believes LSU will bounce back and make a statement against the Florida Gators in The Swamp.

The Tigers were a near unanimous selection with Desmond Howard being the lone analyst in favor of Billy Napier's program.

Nick Saban's Thoughts on Garrett Nussmeier:

Prior to the 2024 season, Nick Saban commented on LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier and the belief he has in the first-year starter.

"I think Garrett Nussmeier is going to be one of the all-time sleepers in college football this year," Saban said on Saturday's College GameDay.

Along with commenting on Nussmeier, he also predicted the Tigers to make the College Football Playoff this season.

"LSU always has skill guys. They're talking about all the receivers they lost -- you could shake a tree in Louisiana and them guys would fall out," Saban said.

In Nussmeier's first start of his career against Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl, he finished the game 31-for-45 with three touchdown passes and only one interception.

Now, it's his team as he continues working through the 2024 season as one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC. LSU currently sits at 5-1 (2-0) with a date against the Arkansas Razorbacks inching closer in Week 8.

“It wasn’t his car, he was driving that thing fast, and he didn’t care if he dented it. It’s his car now. And he’s really careful that he doesn’t, you know, mess it up," Kelly said of Nussmeier during Fall Camp. “He understands that he can’t put the ball in the other team’s hands. So, I just think it’s, you know, being a starter, understanding how important it is, and recognizing that taking care of the football is absolutely crucial to our success.”

ESPN's Football Power Index Weighs in on Week 12 Result:

LSU Tigers at Florida Gators: 57% Chance

The Bayou Bengals will enter Saturday night in Gainesville with a 57% chance at walking away with a victory, according to ESPN's FPI.

Kelly and Co. will hop on a flight later this week to the Sunshine State for another Southeastern Conference road game where Billy Napier and the Gators will be waiting.

For Florida, it's a program that has nothing to lose down the stretch this season after announcing that Napier will return in 2025.

But the key factor here will be Gators signal-caller DJ Lagway and his status ahead of kickoff as he nurses a hamstring injury.

Nonetheless, ESPN's FPI gives LSU a 57% chance to come out with a win in Week 12 in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

More LSU News:

The Updated AP Top 25 Poll: Where LSU Football Stands After Week 11

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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