Picking Every Bowl: Texas Bowl, LSU vs. Kansas State

Mercari Texas Bowl
January 4
LSU (6-6) vs. Kansas State (7-5), NRG Stadium, Houston, 9 p.m., ESPN
Kansas State -7– O/U 47.5

This was to be the last of 42 FBS bowl games, and on the surface featured a big-time matchup between two very good programs. Instead, it’s the last of 37 bowl games (after five were canceled), and it features one team at full-strength and one with major questions at a number of positions. Kansas State’s starting quarterback, Skyler Thompson, was injured in the season finale against Texas but should be ready to play on Tuesday. LSU, on the other hand, is still not sure who’s going to play quarterback in the bowl game, and some of the Tigers’ best athletes have either opted out or entered the transfer portal. Aside from the season-ender against Texas A&M, in which the Tigers upset the Aggies, 27-24, LSU was a dumpster fire toward the end of the year. Now, with just one scholarship quarterback, without its best running back and with only one cornerback who has spent meaningful time on the field, the Tigers go into the Texas Bowl looking like a team no one has seen before. And don’t forget about the interim coach who has to figure out how to patch together this mess. Kansas State’s defense was already the strongest factor in this game, and that was before LSU’s offense turned into a glorified practice team. The Tigers may very well surprise us and come out motivated to play beyond anyone’s expectations, but this looks like it should be Kansas State’s night. The Wildcats will most likely have some success moving the ball on a suspect LSU defense, and their defense should have more than enough tools to shut down the Tigers.
Prediction: Kansas State 27-13
Result: Kansas State 42-20

Record:
Bowl season: SU – 26-12; ATS – 22-15-1; O/U – 15-23-0
Overall: SU – 618-193; ATS – 389-335-7; O/U – 346-373-12

About Douglas Blaine

Capnpen is a writer who was a newspaper and magazine journalist in a previous life. A college journalism major, he now works as an English teacher, but gets his writing fix by blogging about a variety of topics, including politics, religion, movies and television. When he's not working or blogging, Capnpen spends time with his family, plays a little golf (badly) and loves to learn about virtually anything.

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