ALABAMA @ LSU (ALA -2.5, 58.5) CFB ODDS, CFB PREDICTIONS, CFB PREVIEWS
CRIMSON TIDE @ TIGERS 11/9/24
Despite losing two games apiece, No. 11 Alabama and No. 15 LSU are still in the running for a College Football Playoff spot. Both team’s resume will be greatly enhanced by the outcome of Saturday night's game in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The team that loses will probably have to set its sights lower for the postseason.
LSU head coach Brian Kelly said that he knows this is an elimination game. He also said that all SEC games are elimination games. Five teams have just one SEC loss, including the Tigers (6-2, 3-1 SEC). Two weeks ago, in a matchup between the final two teams that were unbeaten in conference play, they suffered a 38-23 loss at Texas A&M. Then, the Aggies' loss to South Carolina last week.
Texas A&M was ahead 17–7 at the half, but LSU lost badly in the second half. Garrett Nussmeier threw three interceptions in the second half, and the Tigers only managed 24 yards on 23 carries during the game. The LSU offensive line needs to come through, but they will be down one for this game. Guard Garrett Dellinger had tightrope surgery on his ankle and is out indefinitely.
Kalen DeBoer, Alabama’s first-year coach, has seen Alabama (6-2, 3-2) lose its last two road games. On October 5, the Tide lost 40–35 to Vanderbilt, and on October 19, they lost 24–17 to Tennessee. They are coming off an open date, just like the Tigers.
Even though there are now 12 teams in the CFP field this season, both Alabama and LSU have practically exhausted their margin for error. A third loss makes it almost impossible to crack the 12-team field. As it stands now, the Tide are the only two-loss team among the top 12 in the CFP rankings.
LSU has only beaten Alabama twice in the past 13 meetings. One of those wins was in 2022, a 32-31 overtime victory. This will be the first game in the past 13 that Alabama is not ranked in the Top 10.
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COACH RICK FREE PICK:
JALEN MILROE ANYTIME TD
Alabama will rely on its best players to win this game. One would be Milroe, who has rushed for at least one TD in 7 of his last 8 games. He’s gone for two scores in five games. When the Tide gets close to the goal line, Milroe is the guy. He’s rushed for two TDs in 2 of 5 SEC games and if you take out last week’s blowout of Missouri when he didn’t need to do anything, it’s really 2 of 4 SEC games. Milroe is averaging 1.5 TDs per game. Milroe has a 63.5 percent probability to score at -174 odds. You might check out his 2+ TD prop which is priced at +320.