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(All odds via PointsBet Sportsbook)
It’s already been an interesting bowl season and that only continues with the Kansas State Wildcats and the LSU Tigers set to face each other in the TaxAct Texas Bowl Tuesday night. In recent years, betting on LSU would be an easy thing to do, but the winds of change are blowing in Baton Rouge and there are plenty of question marks heading into this one.
What: TaxAct Texas Bowl
Who: LSU (6-6) vs Kansas State (7-5)
Where: NRG Stadium (Houston, TX)
When: January 4th at 8 p.m. CT (ESPN)
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Opening Line: LSU -2.5 (O/U 47)
Current line: Kansas State -4.5 (O/U 48)
Most recent bowl result: LSU won the CFP National Championship against Clemson in 2020, Kansas State lost to Navy in Liberty Bowl in 2019.
LSU at a glance: It’s not 2019 anymore -- it really couldn’t be much farther from it for the LSU Tigers. This is a program that has undergone a lot of changes, with key players like star cornerback Elias Ricks and Max Johnson leaving the program in wake of Ed Orgeron being let go and former Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly being brought on in his place. Quarterback is an interesting issue going into this one, with Myles Brennan having spent the season recovering from injury and Garrett Nussmeier risking the possibility of burning his redshirt to play in this one, meaning LSU could potentially play a walk-on at the position - though interim head coach Brad Davis has remained hush-hush about the situation. The Tigers will reportedly have 51 players dressed out for the bowl game, depleted by both the transfer portal and opt-outs. This season, LSU has allowed an average of 25.3 points per game, scored an average of 27.1 points per game and has 13 giveaways to 13 takeaways. Take some of those stats for what you will, though, considering how different this team already looks from earlier in the season.
Kansas State at a glance: Kansas State has been an up-and-down team this year, but when the Wildcats get hot, they stay hot... for a certain stretch of time. They started off the year with three consecutive wins, then lost three games followed by a four-game winning streak and two consecutive losses to end the season between Baylor and Texas. In 2021, the Wildcats have scored an average of 26.3 points per game, have allowed an average of 21.1 points per game and have 14 giveaways to 15 takeaways. The team’s standout is second team All-Big 12 running back Deuce Vaughn, who carried the ball 214 times for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021. Defensively, Kansas State ranked 33rd in the nation. Quarterback Skylar Thompson is set to get back to action for the Wildcats in the bowl game after dealing with knee and ankle injuries. Thompson has been strong when healthy this season, completing 68.8% of his passes for 1,854 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
Key to the matchup: If LSU is to stand a chance in this one, the Tigers are going to have to get up early and stay steady against a Kansas State defense that has been stout during this season. If Kansas State can trip up LSU offensively, take advantage of its experience and get Vaughn rolling, it could make way for a solid win down south.
Best Bet: Kansas State -4.5. Kansas State has the upper hand in terms of defense and overall talent level and whether it’s Nussmeier or someone who is lesser-known from deeper within the ranks, the Wildcats will be facing an inexperienced quarterback who is leading a team missing a lot of its best players. Kansas State should win and cover.
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