The Final Betting Lines: LSU Football vs. Baylor Bears in the Texas Bowl

Brian Kelly and Co. will take the field in NRG Stadium in search of a Texas Bowl win, square off against the Baylor Bears.

Nov 23, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers running back Josh Williams (18) scores a touchdown against Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker Bryan Longwell (4) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers will wrap up the 2024 season on New Year's Eve in a Texas Bowl clash against the Baylor Bears in Houston.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday with both programs in search of victory No. 9 on the season.

For Kelly and the Bayou Bengals, it's an opportunity to get one-percent better in the final game of the season with Garrett Nussmeier at the helm.

Nussmeier revealed his return to Baton Rouge in December with the players buying into the future of the program with their QB1 back in 2025.

“They see that this is an opportunity for them to develop, help themselves and play for a championship,” said head coach Brian Kelly on Nussmeier’s return. “That’s the momentum that we’ve built here for retention of our current players and those who have decided to come here.”

As for bowl practices, it's been one of tempo and energy for the program. LSU has seen several seniors opt-in to the bowl game; including starters Bradyn Swinson, Paris Shand, Sai'vion Jones, Josh Williams and Zy Alexander, among others.

“The morale has been great,” Kelly said of bowl practices. “Every guy that is out there wants to be out there. The practices have been lively. The guys are excited about preparing, and they want the right outcome. They know they have to prepare the right way.”

Now, what do the betting lines look like for Tuesday afternoon? Are the Tigers favored? What does the ESPN Football Power Index believe will happen?

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: (+3.5)
- Baylor: (-3.5

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

Over/Under: 61.5

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.

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.

LSU and Baylor will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN with both programs eyeing victory No. 9 on the season.

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

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

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.