The LSU Tigers’ college football betting is among the best in the SEC conference, and that is reflected in their highest preseason ranking since 2012. The Louisiana State University college football program was voted No. 6 in the Amway Coaches’ Preseason Poll. LSU has been featured in the preseason poll 16 years in a row, as far back as the 2001 season. This is the 10th time that the Tigers will start the season in the top 10 since 1998. LSU ranked 17th in the final poll last year, and finished with a 9-3 (5-3 SEC) record.
LSU college football betting fans can rest easy in the knowledge that, with the exception of LB Deion Jones, CB Rashard Richardson, and tackles Jerald Hawkins and Vadal Alexander – selected in the 2016 NFL draft – pretty much everybody is coming back. The 18 returning starters include QB Brandon Harris, running back Leonard Fournette, wide receivers Malachi Dupre and Travin Dural, and center Ethan Pocic on offense, and middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith, CBs Tre’Davious White and Kevin Toliver II, safety Jamal Adams, defensive ends Lewis Neal and Arden Key, and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux on defense.
In addition to coaching one of the SEC teams with the most returning starters, head coach Les Miles – entering his 12th year in charge of the LSE football program – has once again recruited a top 10 class for the 2016 season. And while there is no single five-star recruit in the bunch, the Tigers have signed 15 four-star recruits, and five three-star recruits. Granted, given the high number of returning starters, it’s not very likely a lot of these recruits will see a lot of playing time, with maybe a couple of exceptions. But just knowing that they are there in case you need them is enough to fill college football betting fans full of confidence.
And since we’re back to the subject to starters, let’s just say that the main – if not the only – reason that many fans place NCAA football bets is the aforementioned Leonard Fournette. The 21 year old running back is one of those rare instances in which the hype is retroactively justified by performance and results. In other words, Fournette doesn’t get hyped, he stays hyped! The Consensus All-American and First-team All-SEC overcompensates for whatever QB Harris’s shortcoming may be, so if coach Miles wants to win a national championship, he needs turn his attention to defense.
LSU’s only three losses last season came when their opponents – Alabama, Arkansas, and Ole Miss – scored 30 points or more. Conversely, their 9 wins saw the opposing team score no higher than 28 points. All things considered, Kevin Steele’s coordinated defense ranked 25th, which may or may not be why Dave Aranda is in charge of defense this year. Aranda bettered Wisconsin’s defense in every of his three years with that program, finally leaving it as the #2 defense in the nation last fall. If Aranda manages to match or even improve on that, LSU will certainly have a shot at a national title.
