Last Updated on September 4, 2010 10:15 pm by drew
LSU 7.5-Point Favorites vs. UNC
A rough week for No. 18 North Carolina may get rougher on Saturday at 8PM ET as the Tar Heels take on No. 21 LSU at the Georgia Dome.
UNC has 12 players definitely out of Saturday’s game because of a NCAA investigation and three others may also be held out. Nine of those players are starters for the Tar Heels.
LSU has won the last five games in this series and the Tigers have won 12 of their last 13 season openers.
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL currently list LSU as 7.5-point favorites against North Carolina. The over/under has been set at 43.5.
The Tigers were 9-4 last season and return just 12 starters from that team. Les Miles has some pressure to win a SEC title this season, but to do so, he will have to with shaky junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson. Jefferson threw for just 2,166 yards and 17 scores last season. The running game is without its top two rushers last season and three starters have to be replaced on the offensive line. The LSU defense was very strong in 2009, holding opponents to just 16.2 points per-game. Four starters are back on that side of the ball, led by linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, who had 110 tackles last season.
UNC has been on a steady incline under coach Butch Davis, but 2010 was supposed to be the breakthrough year. After going 8-5 in 2009, the Tar Heels opened training camp with 21 starters back. The offense has all of its key players back, but that unit struggled last season, averaging just 23.8 points and 308 yards per-game. The defense was the strong point for UNC, as it held opponents to 17.1 points and 270 yards per-game, but that unit is now depleted with the suspensions.
College Football Week 1 Betting Trends
North Carolina is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
North Carolina is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of LSU’s last 18 games on the road
LSU is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LSU’s last 9 games
LSU is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games on the road
Week 1 College Football Injury Report
LSU
LB Ryan Baker Out Indefinitely (jaw)
NORTH CAROLINA
RB Giovani Bernard Out For Season (ACL)
Week 1 LSU vs. North Carolina Odds
LSU Tigers -7.5 Over 43.5
North Carolina Tar Heels +7.5 Under 43.5
Line Movement:
Date/Time Odds (Line) Over/Under (Total)
08/04/10 10:40:06 PM 1/-110 (Open) OFF
08/04/10 10:45:04 PM 1/-110 40.5 -110 (Open)
08/06/10 12:15:04 AM 1/-105 40.5 -110
08/06/10 1:35:05 AM 1.5/-105 40.5 -110
08/07/10 12:10:04 AM 1.5/-110 40.5 -110
08/10/10 12:50:06 PM 1.5/-110 40 -110
08/13/10 12:20:05 AM 1.5/-105 40 -110
08/14/10 12:10:08 AM 1.5/-110 40 -110
08/14/10 5:05:04 PM 1.5/-110 39.5 -110
08/17/10 2:40:02 AM 1/-110 39.5 -110
08/17/10 4:40:05 PM 0/-110 39.5 -110
08/18/10 9:05:04 AM 0/-110 40 -110
08/19/10 4:55:09 PM 0/-110 39.5 -110
08/20/10 12:10:07 AM 0/-105 39.5 -110
08/20/10 9:05:03 AM -1/-105 39.5 -110
08/21/10 12:10:07 AM -1/-110 39.5 -110
08/23/10 5:25:05 PM -1.5/-110 39.5 -110
08/23/10 5:25:06 PM -1.5/-110 40 -110
08/25/10 6:15:04 AM -1.5/-110 39.5 -110
08/26/10 5:30:07 PM 0/-110 39.5 -110
08/26/10 5:55:06 PM 1.5/-110 39.5 -110
08/26/10 6:10:08 PM 2/-110 39.5 -110
09/01/10 4:45:04 PM 4/-110 42 -110
09/01/10 6:25:11 PM 4.5/-110 42 -110
09/02/10 1:00:04 PM 6.5/-110 42 -110
09/03/10 12:15:09 AM 6.5/-105 42 -110
09/03/10 10:45:10 AM 7/-105 42.5 -110
09/03/10 11:30:09 AM 8/-105 43 -110
09/03/10 12:05:13 PM 8/-105 44 -110