The Auburn Tigers host the LSU Tigers in an exciting SEC matchup in Week 8. The game kicks off at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday in Auburn, Alabama.
LSU is listed as a seven-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 51.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for this Week 8 matchup.
Auburn vs. LSU Prediction, Preview
LSU Preview
This is a big game for Lane Kiffin’s LSU team. The Tigers have been a completely different team at home compared to on the road. At home, LSU has wins of 31-0 against Mississippi State and 35-6 against Texas A&M. On the road, they have lost to Kentucky and Ole Miss. The Tigers’ season is on the ropes after that loss to Kentucky, and they might need to win out to make the College Football Playoff. Lane Kiffin needs to prove that he can get it done on the road in the SEC. Auburn is coming off a huge win against Georgia, so there are no excuses for LSU to overlook Auburn in this spot.
Auburn Preview
Auburn just got its first big win of the Alex Golesh era. The Tigers went into Athens and beat Georgia on the road for the first time since 2005. This Auburn team is not perfect by any means, but that win is certainly something to build on going forward. This game will be a big test for the Auburn defense in particular. They had some favorable matchups against Vanderbilt and Tennessee, and then Georgia turned the ball over three times last week. However, in Auburn’s SEC opener against Florida, it gave up 44 points. The real test of a great coach is how they perform the week after a big win. It will be interesting to see how Alex Golesh’s squad responds in this spot.
Auburn vs. LSU Pick, Best Bet
My best bet is on LSU and Auburn to finish under 51.5 total points. The LSU offense is not the same unit on the road. The Auburn defense is flawed, but they should take away the big plays and make LSU grind its way down the field. That is what Auburn did against Georgia, and it led to multiple bad turnovers from the Bulldogs. Auburn should employ the same strategy, which could lead to mistakes from Sam Leavitt, but will also slow down the pace of play.
The LSU defense should come to play in this game. Auburn does not have much of a passing game, ranking 99th in offensive EPA/pass. Meanwhile, LSU has the best pass defense in the country, measured by defensive EPA/pass. Byrum Brown won’t be able to get anything going through the air, nor does he really want to. Against Georgia, Brown ran the ball 26 times. He is much more dangerous with his legs than his arm. While Brown is tough to stop, the one-dimensional aspect of his play should make it easier for LSU to slow down the Auburn offense. The Tigers’ defense should ensure this game stays under the total.
