After a glorious day of College Football and some great matchups earlier in the day, another SEC heavyweight bout will take place at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. These two teams are looking to bounce back after tough losses in Week 3 when both were upset as favorites by fellow SEC teams. CFP hopes are on the line in this one. Let’s take a look at Texas A&M vs. LSU picks, predictions, best bets, and a preview of the game.
Location: Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Date: Saturday, September 26th, 2026
Stream: ABC
Time: 7:30 PM ET, 3:30 PM PT
Spread: LSU -9.5 (-104), Texas A&M +9.5 +9.5 (-104)
Total: Over 58.5 (+100), Under 59.5 (-117)
Moneyline: LSU -308, Texas A&M +300
Texas A&M vs LSU Picks, Prediction, Best Bets, and Preview
Texas A&M was absolutely stunned last week at Kyle Field in College Station. First-year Kentucky head coach Will Stein brought his Kentucky Wildcats in and orchestrated 28 unanswered points from late in the first half through the third quarter to take them from down at half to a 31-14 lead that A&M was never able to recover from. Quarterback Marcel Reed made a few costly mistakes, and the Aggies’ defense struggled to stop the Wildcats’ rushing game.
For LSU, it was not a great return to Oxford for Lane Kiffin. He took his new girl into his old girl’s house and got beat up and sent home empty-handed. Trinidad Chambliss has his way with the LSU defense, strengthening his Heisman case. For LSU, Sam Leavitt started after being doubtful earlier in the week. He did not look like the quarterback we saw at Arizona State previously. Leavitt struggled mightily.
How Texas A&M Covers +9.5
9.5 points is a lot in this game. Yes, both teams lost last week, and the Aggies’ loss was the worse of the two. Ole Miss put up 32 points and 363 passing yards against LSU last Saturday. More importantly, Trinidad Chambliss was able to make plays both through the air and with his legs. Now, the Tigers have to go against Marcell Reed, who can also do it through the air and on the ground. LSU’s defensive backfield is in rough shape. They lost safety Dashawn Spears to a season-ending ACL injury against Ole Miss. The Tigers are also dealing with injuries to Phillip Wright III and Ja’Keem Jackson, while Tamarcus Cooley is questionable. The Aggies just need to keep this game close and manageable. If they can do that, they’ll have a shot to win, and they’ll certainly cover this spread.
How LSU Covers -9.5
Despite the banged-up defensive backfield, defense is where LSU wins this game. If those who are playing can hold their own, this pass rush can get after Reed and force him into costly mistakes like multiple interceptions, as he did against Kentucky. On the LSU side, Sam Leavitt is still the key. If he wants to put his name back into the Heisman talk, that starts this week. He needs to show up in Tiger Stadium and make a statement that makes them forget about last week. On top of that, the team needs to do a better job of establishing the run and taking the pressure off Leavitt.
Marcel Reed Over 30.5 Rushing Yards (-104)
The Aggies Senior quarterback needs to leave it all out on the field this week, just like Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss did last week to steal a win from the Tigers. Chambliss ended the game with just two rushing yards, but his legs were still a key factor in them winning the game, including a 15-yard scramble. Reed showed last week he’ll do whatever it takes, scrambling 10 times for 80 yards and breaking off a long 40-yard run. Last year against the Tigers, Reed ran all over them: 13 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. With a banged-up Tigers defense, Reed needs to take advantage of his athletic ability. I’ll be laddering this at least to 80+ yards at +1240.
Texas A&M +9.5 (-104)
LSU opened as -3 favorites in this game. For this line to swing past a touchdown all the way to 9.5 even after LSU lost, it’s just too much. Ultimately, I like the Tigers to win this game. But Reed and company will keep it exciting. They need to slow the game down, but take their shots against this injured defense. Again, Ole Miss put up 32 points and 363 passing yards against LSU last Saturday. A&M will be able to get theirs in this one. This should be a thrilling SEC game under the lights; give me the big underdogs to show up and make it a game.
