LSU Football vs. South Alabama Jaguars odds for Week 5

No. 14 LSU looks to keep the momentum going against Sun Belt foe South Alabama while the Jaguars take on the Tigers on a Saturday night in Death Valley.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:55 p.m. CT on the SEC Network and LSU Sports Radio Network.

Brian Kelly and Co. are looking for their fourth straight win after defeating Nicholls State, South Carolina and UCLA in the last three weeks.

Now the focus shifts to a non-conference showdown against South Alabama at Tiger Stadium.

Here’s Saturday’s match information, the latest betting odds, key players and an early prediction for Week 5:

Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Time: 6:45 p.m. CT
TV channels: SEC Network
City: Baton Rouge, La.
Venue: Tiger Stadium

LSU: -20.5 (-110)
South Alabama: +20.5 (-110)

LSU wins: – -1350
South Alabama Wins: +800

Over 64 points: -110
Under 64 points: -110

*All odds via DraftKings*

Gio Lopez: quarterback

South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez has emerged as one of the best dual-threat players in the Sun Belt as he continues to routinely set up defenses. The true first-year signal-caller is already up to 843 yards through the air and another 171 yards on the ground.

He is known for extending plays with his legs, which has earned the Jaguars important points. Lopez caught up to nine passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in four games on the year.

The top target in his arsenal is Jamaal Pritchett. The veteran wide receiver is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, but he makes up for it with his speed and athleticism after the catch.

Pritchett is up to 26 receptions for 355 yards and four touchdowns this season. He leads all Jaguars wideouts in every statistical category.

Look for the LSU linebackers to be put to the test Saturday night at Tiger Stadium as Lopez extends plays with his feet. He’s deadly when he has the ball in his hands, and the Bayou Bengals need to place emphasis on his dual-threat abilities in the secondary.

Fluff Bothwell: Running back

South Alabama standout Fluff Bothwell has become a notable name in the Sun Belt Conference in his first few weeks as he continues to impress with the Jaguars. The true freshman has already rushed for up to 359 yards on 37 carries and six touchdowns in four games.

The most important number to know for Bothwell: 9.7. He’s averaging a whopping 9.7 yards per carry for South Alabama this season and has become the program’s focal point offensively.

But it will be a one-two punch at running backs for the Jaguars on Saturday, with Bothwell joining Kentrel Bullock in the backfield. On just 30 carries, Bullock managed up to 203 yards and three scores of his own.

There is a significant boost on South Alabama’s offensive line, with Bullock also averaging 6.3 yards per reception.

On Saturday, the LSU defensive line will face the challenge against an offense that likes to run the football more than 50% of the time and has two running backs ready to make some noise.

We turned to the SP+ prediction model to better understand where the Tigers stand against South Alabama this weekend.

The simulation assumes that Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers emerge victorious in Week 5 against South Alabama, as expected.

SP+ made a prediction that LSU will defeat the Jaguars by a projected score of 42-23 and win the game by an expected 18.7 points.

The expert model gives the Bayou Bengals an 88% chance of prevailing against the Jaguars in Death Valley.

What is SP+? It is a “pace- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency” that attempts to predict game outcomes by measuring “the most sustained and predictable aspects of football.”

The SP+ model is 105-91-1 against the spread with a win ratio of 53.6 year-on-year, with the latest round of forecasts coming this week.

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