Saturday Selections: Week 4 SEC Picks Against the Spread

November 3, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; A general view during a game between the LSU Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 21-17. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Mississippi State at #8 LSU (-10), 6:00pm CT, ESPN

The offense has not been a question mark at all for the Mississippi State Bulldogs through the first three weeks of the season. Sure, Southern Miss, UAB and South Alabama are exactly the New York Giants, but the Bulldogs have still managed to score an average of 43.7 yards per game.

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Led by quarterback Dak Prescott, the Bulldogs have as balanced an offensive attack as any team could hope for. State is averaging 266.3 passing yards and 260.3 yards on the ground in 2014. Prescott himself has been responsible for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense so far in 2014.

Aside from a shaky performance in Week 2, the MSU defense has also been very good. However, LSU has far more athletes on offense (and defense, for that matter) than any team Mississippi State has seen this year.

The Tigers are also balanced on offense, and are averaging 214 passing yards and 226.3 rushing yards per contest through two games. The most impressive unit on the field however, has been the LSU defense. Last week’s 31-0 victory over ULM was the second in a row for the Tigers and LSU allowed less than 100 yards of offense to the Warhawks.

Expectations were higher than ever entering the season in Starkville, and this game has been circled as a winnable one, even if the Bulldogs must travel to Death Valley on a Saturday night. After three weeks of football, however, LSU looks just a little more impressive and should win the game. But, expect MSU to cover.

LSU 28, Mississippi State 24