College football odds: No. 2 LSU at Auburn

The 2012 season already has been a massive disappointment at Auburn, but the Tigers can change all that with an upset of No. 2 LSU on Saturday night. However, the visitors are 20.5-point favorites on WagerWeb.com.

LSU has yet to be challenged remotely this season. The Tigers warmed up for their SEC opener with a 63-14 victory over Idaho on Saturday. Tigers safety Ronald Martin and defensive end Lavar Edwards each snagged deflected passes and returned them for scores, helping LSU pull away. Zach Mettenberger threw for 222 yards in his most prolific night yet. He completed 13 of his final 15.

The victory gave LSU (3-0) an NCAA FBS record 40th-straight non-conference regular season victory, surpassing Kansas State’s 39 from 1993-2003. LSU also set a Tiger Stadium mark with 20 straight home wins, while extending its nation-long regular-season winning streak to 16 games.

Auburn, which started the season with losses to Clemson and Mississippi State, barely beat Sun Belt team Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday, prevailing 31-28 in overtime in the Tigers’ home opener. Cody Parkey hit a 35-yard field goal to win it.

The Tigers stopped Kolton Browning and the Warhawks to start overtime, and Justin Manton’s 37-yard field goal attempt was deflected by Angelo Blackson. Then Tre Mason rushed for 10 yards, and Kiehl Frazier downed the ball on the next play to set up Parkey’s winning kick. Onterio McCalebb rushed for 128 yards and a 27-yard touchdown on 11 carries for the Tigers. Frazier threw one touchdown pass and caught another, both 33 yards.

Last year, LSU posted a 45-10 win over Auburn in Tiger Stadium in what was the largest-margin of victory for either team in the series. LSU leads the overall series, 25-20-1. LSU goes into the Auburn game riding a 24-game winning streak in games played during the month of September (last loss at Auburn, 2006) as well as the nation’s longest regular-season winning streak at 16 straight.

Sixteen of LSU’s last 17 wins have come by double-digits and the Tigers have scored 40 or more points in 13 of their last 17 contests. LSU goes into the Auburn game leading the SEC in scoring (48.3 ppg), rushing offense (269.3 ypg), rushing defense (47.0 ypg) and total defense (205.0 ypg). LSU is also allowing just 10.3 points per game – third in the league.

Home team in the LSU-Auburn series has won 11 of last 12 meetings, with the exception coming in 2008 when LSU won at Jordan-Hare Stadium, 26-21. LSU is 47-4 vs. unranked teams under Les Miles, which includes a current streak of 15 straight wins.

WagerWeb.com trends: Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings. Under is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Auburn. Under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings. Home team is 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 meetings. Tigers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Auburn.

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