Texas A&M Aggies @ Louisiana State Tigers AT&T Cotton Bowl Pick

Texas A&M Aggies @ Louisiana State Tigers AT&T Cotton Bowl Free Pick: LSU just kept finding ways to win. At 10-2 in the SEC, they are a very good football team, but I don’t know if they are as good as that record makes them seem. Still, it’s hard to argue with hard evidence, and the only games LSU lost were to Auburn and Arkansas, two pretty good football teams. LSU beat Mississippi State, West Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and North Carolina (all Bowl teams). The Tigers were 7th in total defense, 9th in passing yards allowed, and 11th in points allowed. That’s all in the SEC. Offensively is where they are below average. They have almost zero passing attack, ranking 107th (damn near last) with 155.4 yards per game, and it’s not like they are an elite rushing attack, either- ranking 31st in the Nation, which is solid but not great. The Tigers are 51st in points scored at 28.8 – yes, there are holes in their offensive attack.

Texas A&M finished the season on fire, winning 6 straight games after losing three straight to Oklahoma State (by 3), Arkansas (by 7), and Missouri (by a lot). But the most important thing to look at here is how they haven’t lost with Ryan Tannehill as the starting quarterback. Tannehill took over in the Kansas game, and it’s been all winning all the time since then. Defensively the Aggies are solid, but not great. Offensively, they are solid, but not great. I just think they find a way here.

I think the lesser-ranked Aggies are the better team, even though LSU has found ways to win week in and week out. The Aggies really finished strong, and I like them to pull the small upset.

#17 Texas A&M Aggies (+1.5) @ #11 Louisiana State Tigers