Baylor vs LSU Picks: Take Tigers to Pull Off Upset on December 31

One of the last college football games of the 2024 calendar year will be a Texas Bowl matchup on Tuesday between the Baylor Bears and the LSU Tigers. Baylor is one of the hottest teams in the country, having won its last six contests, while LSU comes into this one on a two-game winning streak.

The Tigers are 3½-point underdogs versus the Bears at BetUS Sportsbook for the Texas Bowl, with the over/under set at 59 points. Let’s take a look at the game and my college football pick for this bowl matchup between Baylor and LSU.

Baylor vs LSU Game Information

• Game: Baylor Bears (8-4) vs LSU Tigers (8-4)
• Date/Time: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
• Baylor vs LSU Live Stream: Fubo.tv

3 Things To Know To Bet Baylor vs LSU

1. Baylor Comes In Hot

LSU had a challenging end to the regular season, with the team losing three of its final five games. Not great for fans who bet online on the Tigers.

Dave Aranda reloading a Baylor team that just won 8 games #SicEm pic.twitter.com/Fbrvs1v9mG

— Chase Gilmer (@datboizilla) December 15, 2024

However, LSU was able to end things on a high note with a 37-17 victory against Oklahoma.

Meanwhile, Baylor has been red hot, winning six straight games. Bears head coach Dave Aranda is no longer on the hot seat and now faces an LSU team where he was a long-time coordinator.

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2. Nussmeier Is Expected to Play

Like many teams, LSU is dealing with opt-outs and the transfer portal heading into the Texas Bowl. But quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is expected to play against Baylor since he’ll be returning for the 2025 campaign. This is good news for those looking to ride with LSU ATS in the NCAAF odds.

Dave Aranda reloading a Baylor team that just won 8 games #SicEm pic.twitter.com/Fbrvs1v9mG

— Chase Gilmer (@datboizilla) December 15, 2024

LSU head coach Brian Kelly is at least painting the picture of a team locked into bowl prep.

“The morale has been great, and every guy that’s out there wants to be out there,“ Kelly explained. “Practices have been lively, the guys are excited about preparing and they want the right outcome so they know they have to prepare the right way.

“It’s been fun for me as a coach and our coaches have been excited about the mindset of the group. We will have some first-time starters in this game and you’ll see that at times, but this is a group that wants to go out there and compete and they’ll compete hard.”

3. Bet Tigers to Pull Off Upset

At first glance, it may be a bit confusing to see Baylor favored in this matchup. LSU entered the season viewed as a potential contender to win the SEC.

Instead, the Tigers struggled down the stretch losing three straight games before winning their final two contests. Baylor is a hotter team, but how much does that matter with nearly a month layoff?

Looking at the Baylor vs LSU trends, the Bears also took advantage by beating up on mostly weaker teams at the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

With LSU having a month to prepare for this matchup, I like the Tigers’ chances to not only cover ATS but pull off the mild upset in the college football lines.

Bet On LSU ML vs Baylor

Questions of the Day

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.