Jacksonville State at LSU Week 2 Free Pick & Lines

Posted by Jordan Walterss on Thursday,September 8, 2016 8:19, EDT in

LSU was the No. 5 team in the nation and was one of my picks to play for the national championship this year. Oops! The Tigers still have a shot, but they can’t lose again following a stunning Week 1 loss at Wisconsin. No. 21 LSU is a huge favorite this week on college football lines in its home opener against FCS school Jacksonville State.

Here’s a Look at the Jacksonville State at LSU Week 2 Free Pick, Lines & TV Info

When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 7:30 PM ET
Where: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge
TV: ESPNU
Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Jacksonville State / LSU
Opening NCAA Football Lines: LSU -30.5 (55.5)

Why Bet on Jacksonville State?

JSU opened with a 31-12 win over Division II North Alabama. Roc Thomas ran for three touchdowns and Eli Jenkins ran for another. Jenkins completed 20 of 34 passes for 230 yards and also led the Gamecocks on the ground with 101 yards on 13 carries. Thomas ran for 71 yards on 20 carries. Jenkins’ 47-yard touchdown run in the first quarter placed him atop the list for most career touchdowns responsible for (66) in a Jacksonville State career, surpassing former JSU quarterback Ed Lett’s record. He also moved to fifth on the OVC career total offense list (8,688 yards), and is now less than 100 yards form claiming fourth place.

Jacksonville State extended its regular-season winning streak against non-FBS foes to 22 games, dating back to 2013. The Gamecocks scored two touchdowns in the game’s first nine minutes and kept the pressure on UNA’s overmatched offense all night. The Lions managed just 52 yards on 32 rushing attempts.

“I thought we came out (of the game) pretty healthy, and we played really well defensively,” Jacksonville State coach John Grass said. “They couldn’t run the ball, and take away holding penalties against our defense that kept drives going for them and it would have been an outstanding night. It was still pretty good.”

Jacksonville State is the No. 5 team in the FCS polls and nearly won at Auburn last year. After polishing off its second-straight 8-0 OVC record in 2015, JSU is the only Division I team (FBS or FCS) to post unbeaten conference records in both the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Saturday marks the first time JSU and LSU have met on the gridiron and will make the Tigers the seventh different team from the SEC the Gamecocks have played in football.

Why Bet on LSU?

I’m assuming the Tigers will be quite focused after losing 16-14 to unranked Wisconsin in Green Bay. Heisman Trophy hopeful Leonard Fournette ran for 138 yards on 23 carries but walked gingerly to the sideline after his final carry, a 15-yard run with less than 2 minutes left. The Badgers held LSU to 2 of 10 on third-down conversions.

LSU will be without starting offensive lineman Josh Boutte for this game. He was suspended for a major cheap shot hit on Wisconsin defensive back D’Cota Dixon near the end of the loss. Dixon intercepted Brandon Harris’ pass near the LSU sideline to seal the upset win, and following the play, he started celebrating with the ball and his hand raised when Boutte hit him.

Fournette should play despite suffering that late minor injury vs. Wisconsin. Though no change has been made for LSU, Coach Les Miles said, one offensive move already has been decided: Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will move back to the press box. Against Wisconsin, which had one of the nation’s top defenses last year under present LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, the Tigers managed just 257 total yards and only 131 through the air with Cameron on the sideline.

The Tigers are 10-0 all-time against the FCS, which includes a 7-0 mark under Miles. LSU has won 10 straight home-openers, a streak that dates back to the 2006 season when the Tigers beat Louisiana-Lafayette, 45-3, in Tiger Stadium. LSU last loss in a home-opener came against Tennessee by a 30-27 count in overtime on Monday night in 2005. LSU hasn’t lost a Saturday night home-opener since 1994 when Texas A&M beat the Tigers, 18-13. Miles is 33-0 in non-conference games in Tiger Stadium and the Tigers have won 45 consecutive non-conference home games in Death Valley dating back to a 13-10 defeat to UAB in 2000.

My Free Pick

No question that LSU wins, but JSU is a good team. Just ask Auburn. Take the points on NCAAF lines.