With conference play beginning this week for a few teams across SEC football, there is arguably no matchup more intriguing than in Starkville, where Mississippi State hosts LSU. In the recent head-to-head series, LSU has won the last two games, with Mississippi State’s last win coming back in 2020 in Baton Rouge.
Mississippi State comes into Saturday sitting at 2-0 for the season in what is the first year under new head coach Zach Arnett. The Bulldogs are coming off a big 31-24 home win over Arizona in Week 2, which followed a 48-7 victory over Southeastern Louisiana in Week 1.
Led by one of SEC football’s most experienced quarterbacks in Will Rogers, the Bulldogs offense is averaging 39.5 PPG so far this season, with running back Jo’quavious Marks having also impressed by rushing for 250 yards and three touchdowns across two games. Also included in the Bulldogs names to know at receiver are the likes of Lideatrick Griffin and Creed Whittemore, who have each combined for three touchdowns this season.
The Bulldogs defensively are allowing 15.5 PPG to opponents, and are led by one of the SEC’s top linebacker duos in Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson, who have combined for 35 tackles, five TFL, 3.5 sacks, and three INT’s so far this season. Mississippi State also has three others with double-digit tackles this season so far in Decamerion Richardson, Shawn Preston Jr., and De’Monte Russell.
Led by head coach Brian Kelly, LSU comes into Starkville ranked as the nation’s No. 14 team in the AP Poll, and are sitting at 1-1 for the year. After beginning the season with a 45-24 loss to Florida State in Week 1, the Tigers would pickup their first win last Saturday night, topping Grambling by a final score of 72-10.
The Tigers offense is averaging 48 PPG so far this year, and are led by one of the SEC’s top signal callers in quarterback Jayden Daniels. LSU has used multiple running backs this season in Logan Diggs, Kaleb Jackson, Noah Cain, and Josh Williams, while the likes of Brian Thomas Jr., Malik Nabers, and Kyren Lacy have impressed in the passing game.
Defensively, the Tigers are allowing 27.5 PPG to opponents, and have three players with double-digit tackles so far this season in Zy Alexander, Major Burns, and Andre Sam. The Tigers have also had a few others who have impressed so far this season such as Omar Speights, Greg Brooks Jr., and Greg Penn III.
Mississippi State vs. LSU Line, Spread, Over/Under
As of Monday afternoon, LSU is a 9.5-point favorite over Mississippi State according to FanDuel. The Tigers are -375 while Mississippi State is +290, with the over/under also at 53.5.
Mississippi State vs. LSU SEC Football Prediction
While a Mississippi State win at home would not surprise me either, I’ll say that LSU comes into Starkville to pickup a big victory over the Bulldogs. A big reason for this will be the performance of the LSU defense, as well as a big game from quarterback Jayden Daniels. Prediction: Mississippi State 24, LSU 30
What Channel is the Mississippi State vs. LSU Game On?
The matchup between Mississippi State and No. 14 LSU will be played Saturday, September 16 at 12:00 PM ET on ESPN, taking place from Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS.
Mississippi State vs. LSU Live Stream
Available on fuboTV, a live stream of Mississippi State vs. LSU can be found here.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change