For the season, his xBA now stands at .249, putting him in the bottom 39% of the league. The offensive line was a big issue last season, but they added two transfers to build up some depth. Tailback Marcus Carroll saw limited action last season but was effective when he was on the field. The offensive numbers were astonishing, as Georgia State finished outside the top 100 in Standard Downs Success Rate, Havoc Allowed and starting field position. The lone bright spot was its explosiveness in which it finished 19th. However, I do think the Rams offense can have success here even against an FBS defensive unit. They have enough experience returning on offense, and you’ll see why I think there’s potential for a lot of points in this game when I break down the Panthers.
- It will be a neutral-site game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando and LSU is a 2.5-point favorite in the Week 1 college football odds according to the SportsLine Consensus.
- Even worse, only one player out of those top five tacklers returns.
- I mentioned the Panthers’ explosiveness earlier, and this will play a factor in this matchup.
- I like the way Strider is pitching a heck of a lot more than what we’ve seen from Lynn.
The right-hander has posted a season-low .166 xBA in August, the third-best month of his career. And while it’s come at the expense of some strikeouts, he’s still punching out 31.4% of batters. Ugh, this really stings, but I had so much faith in this Panthers team last season. The talent on the roster didn’t correlate with their 4-8 record, and they even led late in the fourth quarter against North Carolina.
Braves vs. Dodgers Odds
Worst of all, his whiff rate has continued to fall and that’s led to a 21% strikeout rate this month. We’ve always known Lynn to be unreliable when trying to pitch to contact, but the strikeouts have always come in bunches. While his results have been positive for L.A., there are still some issues beneath the surface. Lynn allowed 10 hits in his last start, something that may have been a long time coming. The right-hander’s expected batting average this month is up to .247, from .233 a month ago.
Now comes the hard part — a four-game set my sources with the menacing Los Angeles Dodgers.
Expert Picks
It will be a neutral-site game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando and LSU is a 2.5-point favorite in the Week 1 college football odds according to the SportsLine Consensus. So which side should you be backing in the only top-10 matchup of the week, and who else should you be considering as you place your Week 1 college football bets? Before locking in any college football picks for Week 1 of the 2023 season, be sure to see the college football betting guide from legendary Vegas handicapper Bruce Marshall.
- The good news here is the Dodgers’ offense is hotter than the Braves’ over the last two weeks.
- The bread and butter of this offense will always be its running game, so in this matchup against an FCS defense, I expect a lot of explosive runs.
- While his results have been positive for L.A., there are still some issues beneath the surface.
- Check out the latest college football odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams to back, all from the legendary Vegas expert who has won multiple handicapping titles, and find out.
- So which side should you be backing in the only top-10 matchup of the week, and who else should you be considering as you place your Week 1 college football bets?
He now supplies his unique and colorful brand of football and basketball analysis to SportsLine members. I do think the Panthers’ Havoc can lead to a lot of possessions with great field possession. Instead of swallowing a big number, I have much more faith in both of these offenses to have success in this Thursday evening clash. Quarterback Darren Grainger will look to right the ship for the Panthers. He had a terrific statistical season last year, and notably led the team in rushing despite having Tucker Gregg in the backfield. Luckily for him, the Rams have four of their five offensive line starters returning, alongside two of their top four pass catchers.
McCord to start for Ohio St., Brown will also see action
While he did strike out 11 batters, he allowed a homer, three walks and five hits for a total of four runs, though two were unearned. I mentioned the Panthers’ explosiveness earlier, and this will play a factor in this matchup. I think Grainger and Carroll can break some huge runs, which will lead to some quick scores. I don’t believe the Panthers will have any issues winning this game, but something to monitor moving forward is seeing how these transfers shape up this entire defensive unit. This is a huge cause for concern heading into the season, especially in a matchup like this against an FBS offense known for explosiveness. The defense will need to force a few turnovers in order to have a shot at pulling a big upset here on the road.