NCAA Football Predictions – Pittsburgh to Outrank LSU Tigers

The USA Today poll is always the benchmark of success for teams in the college football betting world. Teams strive to see how many votes they can pick up from the voters week in and week out. Our NCAA football predictions are going to take a stab at whether the Pittsburgh Panthers or LSU Tigers will finish with more votes at season’s end.

NCAA Football Odds
Pittsburgh Panthers +105
LSU Tigers -145

The Panthers are probably getting a tad disrespected here because they are a Big East team as opposed to LSU, which plays big boy college football in the SEC. However, the voters aren’t going to make a mistake about which team is better at the end of the season.

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Pittsburgh has a devastating defense which features a veteran defensive line. Dave Wannstedt doesn’t need to call blitz packages on a regular basis to be able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and all of the returning linemen in the rotation are going to prove that once again this year.

In addition to that, the Panthers have one of the best young running backs in the nation in Dion Lewis, who not only protected the football by losing just two fumbles for the entire season, but also rewrote the U-Pitt record books with a dynamic season. The fact that his 1,799 yards and 18 TDs put the great Tony Dorsett to shame is incredibly impressive. We expect great things from Lewis again this year should he stay healthy even though Bill Stull needs to be replaced at quarterback.

The Panthers schedule has plenty of rough patches along the way, but if they can successfully find a way to win half of their games against @ Utah, vs. Miami, @ Notre Dame, @ Connecticut, @ South Florida, vs. West Virginia, and @ Cincinnati, they’ll be just fine.

LSU could have a huge problem this year. The great dynasty that Les Miles put up could be torn down in a hurry in Baton Rouge if his offense doesn’t get a move on this year.

The unit averaged just 304.7 yards per game last year, which really put a very good defense in a bit of trouble on a regular basis. Jordon Jefferson is going to be comfortably entrenched as the starting quarterback now that freshman Zach Lee has decided to go play baseball. That means if Miles wants to pull the ol’ switcheroo if his quarterback is failing, he needs to turn to Jarrett Lee.

Plus, there’s that SEC schedule that is a bear to get through. Roadies at Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas are going to be tough, as will games in Baton Rouge against West Virginia and Alabama.

When push comes to shove, this is going to be a potentially rough season for the Bayou Bengals. Seven wins is a real possibility. We think that Pittsburgh is going to find a way to make it to nine, which should be good enough to win this poll battle.

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