LSU Tigers at North Carolina Tar Heels Betting Preview

Opening point spread odds - total lines at 5Dimes : Carolina -1.5 / LSU 1.5 O/U 42

Time: 8 PM EST Saturday September 4, 2010 on ESPN

Two top 25 teams face each other on Saturday night, as the 21st ranked LSU Tigers face the 18th ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in an important non-conference game for both teams. The main reason this game is so important is that each plays such a tough conference schedule and any win is a big one. LSU is in the SEC and this season they have to face Florida, Auburn, Alabama, and Arkansas and North Carolina is in the ACC and faces Georgia Tech, Miami, Florida State, and Virginia Tech.

This game is a neutral game since it will be held in Atlanta, Georgia. This game is not sold out like the last 2 seasons and neither team will likely have any home field advantage.

The Tar Heels are stacked on defense, as last season they ranked in the top 15 in every major defensive category and they return most of their starters. DE Robert Quinn, DT Marvin Austin, LB Quan Sturdivant, LB Bruce Carter, CB Kendric Burney, and S Deunta Williams all could have come out and been drafted, but they all stayed in school to try to guide the Tar Heels to the ACC title.

North Carolina will have to play good D, as their Achilles heel is their offense. Last season the Tar Heels ranked No. 10 or lower in the ACC in passing, scoring, and total offense. QB T.J. Yates has been plagued by INT’s in his career at Tobacco Road and he can’t afford to turn the ball over in this game. It will also help if RB Ryan Houston, who rushed for 713 yards and had 9 TD’s last season, can pick up some yards on the ground.

The LSU defense only returns 4 starters led by CB Patrick Peterson, but they have several guys coming in that may be future stars. The secondary is the Tigers’ strength, but the young front line will have to put pressure on Yates.

Much like North Carolina LSU’s weakness is their offense, but they have a few highly touted players such as WR’s Terrence Toliver and Rueben Randle. Last season the Tigers ranked 112th in the FBS in total offense. The offensive line killed the Tigers last season and they will have to step up in this game against a ferocious UNC defense.

Tigers’ QB Jordan Jefferson did not look good in spring practice, but if the line can give him time to find his WR’s LSU has a great shot to win this game. RB Richard Murphy was once a highly touted prospect, but injuries have derailed his career. He and RB Dominique Allen have to play well in this game and take some pressure of Jefferson.

The team that can come up with some offense will win this game, but that will not be easy for either team. However, this match up is especially not good for North Carolina since QB Yates has had trouble with INT’s and LSU has a stellar secondary.

Our Selection :We were going to side with the Tar Heels in this game before the NCAA investigation into potential academic misconduct as well as agent-related benefits received by players. Now with that black cloud hanging over the football program and the possibilities of certain North Carolina players not being eligible to play this week, we're going to jump on the Tigers. Even if the team doesn't have any suspensions there is no way that the team is going to be fully focused this week. Take LSU -3 at 5Dimes.


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