Strengths collide in a Thursday night Sun Belt showdown between the Georgia Southern Eagles and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. We’ve got the latest sports betting odds, DFS and fantasy picks, and a Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana prediction ahead of the action.
Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana Betting Preview
- Spread
Louisiana (-3.5) - Moneyline
Louisiana (-155); Georgia Southern (+135) - Over/Under
59.5 points - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Cajun Field, Lafayette, LA - Predicted weather at kickoff
64.7 degrees, clear, 5.8 mph winds - How to watch
fuboTV, ESPN U
Once upon a time, you’d have expected Louisiana to waltz into Cajun Field and emerge victorious without asking a single question. They’re 4-1 against Georgia Southern all time, with three consecutive wins between 2019 and 2021 leading up to Thursday night’s action.
However, these are not Billy Napier’s Ragin’ Cajuns, my friend. Cajun Field is no longer a fortress, going 1-2 at home, albeit with losses to two of the best in the ‘Belt. This makes these Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana odds a little complex and this Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana pick and prediction a little more complicated.
When Louisiana wins, they win comfortably. If you fancy the Ragin’ Cajuns to win against the Eagles then you should also take them against the spread. Louisiana is 5-4 ATS this season, and Georgia Southern has gone 1-3 ATS when they’re a 3.5 point or lower underdog. Yet, in a cautionary tale about the precarious nature of this matchup, Georgia Southern is 6-3 ATS this fall while covering four times as an outright underdog.
Although the Eagles’ offense has been electric this season, I’m cautiously optimistic about a Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana prediction that falls short of the over/under line of 59.5. All five previous matchups between the two teams have failed to tally that marker, and the Ragin’ Cajuns have been involved in just two games that crept over 59.5 points.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Eager to make some money on the Eagles? Think you can cash in on the Ragin’ Cajuns? Place your picks with Fanduel Fantasy, and you’ll get a $10 bonus off a $1 entry.
- QB Kyle Vantrease, Georgia Southern ($10,400)
- QB Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana ($9,800)
- QB Chandler Fields, Louisiana ($9,800)
- RB Jalen White, Georgia Southern ($9,500)
- RB Chris Smith, Louisiana ($7,800)
- RB Terrence Williams, Louisiana ($6,500)
- RB Gerald Green, Georgia Southern ($5,900)
- RB Zylan Perry, Louisiana ($5,000)
- RB Jacob Kibodi, Louisiana ($4,800)
- RB Dre’lyn Washington, Louisiana ($4,700)
- RB OJ Arnold, Georgia Southern ($4,600)
- WR Derwin Burgess Jr., Georgia Southern ($8,500)
- WR Amare Jones, Georgia Southern ($8,300)
- WR Michael Jefferson, Louisiana ($7,500)
- WR Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern ($7,300)
- WR Jeremy Singleton, Georgia Southern ($5,700)
- WR Dontae Fleming, Louisiana ($5,600)
- WR Jacob Bernard, Louisiana ($5,400)
- WR Peter LeBlanc, Louisiana ($5,200)
- TE Neal Johnson, Lousiana ($5,300)
- TE Jjay McAfee, Georgia Southern ($5,100)
- TE Johnny Lumpkin, Louisiana ($5,100)
Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan is your best bet at the quarterback position in DFS and fantasy in this Thursday night slate of college football action. However, if his value forces your hand towards making a pick from this Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana game, then Kyle Vantrease is your only viable option.
Despite a difficult matchup against a Ragin’ Cajuns stingy pass defense, the sheer volume of attempts will ensure he racks up a good chunk of points compared to a dicey QB situation for Louisiana where either QB could be the starter.
Georgia Southern’s abysmal run defense should give plenty of opportunity for Louisiana’s stable of running backs to have a season-defining performance. They’ve struggled this year, with only Chris Smith averaging over five yards per carry and with no ball carrier hitting the end zone more than twice throughout the fall.
While that should change, don’t sleep on Eagles running back Jalen White as the legitimate fantasy option at the position. He’s the leading producer in terms of carries (142), rushing yards (744), and rushing touchdowns (10) in this Thursday night Sun Belt clash while also adding a receiving touchdown this year. White has failed to find the end zone in just two games in this 2022 college football season.
Michael Jefferson’s 17.1 yards per reception, 616 receiving yards, and five touchdowns make him the obvious choice if you’re going to pick a Louisiana wide receiver. However, you’re spoiled for choice with Georgia Southern receivers despite their offense taking on the most difficult test of their season so far. They have two receivers with 600+ yards (Derwin Burgess Jr. and Khaleb Hood) and two with six touchdowns (Burgess and Amare Jones).
Every tight end in this Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana has less than 20 receptions this season, with Eagles tight end Jijay McAfee tallying under 10 catches. Johnny Lumpkin has scored a touchdown on 25% of his receptions this season, while Neal Johnson has two scores and crept over 250 receiving yards during the defeat to Troy last week.
Prediction for Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana
Louisiana has been the dominant force in the Sun Belt for the past four years, and their only previous defeat to Georgia Southern came in a season where they finished 5-7. Currently sitting at 4-5 in Michael Demsormeaux’s first season in charge, they’re in real danger of missing out on bowl eligibility for the first time since that 2017 campaign.
Losing long-term quarterback starter Levi Lewis — as well as important offensive line pieces — hasn’t helped the program, but the offense that powered those successful seasons has been a shadow of its former self behind a murky quarterback situation.
The Ragin’ Cajuns are averaging just 25.6 points per game, 361.3 yards of total offense, and tallying just 22 total offensive touchdowns this season.
MORE: Buffalo vs. Central Michigan Betting Preview
This Georgia Southern defense gives them an opportunity to put the Ragin’ back into Ragin’ Cajuns. The only Sun Belt team that has conceded more points per game than the Eagles this season is ULM (who incidentally beat Louisiana earlier in the year). They’ve allowed over 200 rushing yards and 260 passing yards per game, while giving up the most rushing touchdowns of any program in the Sun Belt conference.
While the defense has been the downfall of Georgia Southern this season — giving up more than 30 points in all bar three of their games — the offense has been exceptional during Clay Helton’s first season in charge.
A team that has been a proud proponent of the triple option offense for years has effortlessly transitioned into a pass-happy unit that features near the top of the country in a myriad of offensive metrics.
Former Buffalo quarterback Kyle Vantrease has been key to this offensive turnaround. Only Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. has more than Vantrease’s 331.3 passing yards per game.
His 20 passing touchdowns are more than highly rated NFL Draft prospects Bryce Young, Cameron Ward, and Will Levis. Yes, his arm probably needs icing every night due to the high volume of passing attempts, but he’s making this offense tick every week.
This is where this Georgia Southern vs. Louisiana prediction becomes fun and a little complex. While the Eagles have effortlessly put up points on (nearly) all-comers this fall, the Ragin’ Cajuns’ pass defense has undoubtedly been the highlight of the season.
Led by Eric Garror, Bralen Trahan, and Trey Amos, they’ve been a purposeful pass breakup unit that leads the Sun Belt and ranks third nationally with 14 interceptions. Vantrease has thrown 13 interceptions this fall, showcasing the level of opportunity for Louisiana.
When the two strengths of these teams collide, you can expect fireworks. Louisiana enters the game as the favorite, and when you look at how the two teams match up, you can certainly see a path to victory for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
However, it’s difficult to envision them outscoring the Eagles, who have the potential to stifle Louisiana’s most potent scoring threat, the punt return prowess of Garror. The Eagles win and gain bowl eligibility.
Prediction: Georgia Southern 28, Louisiana 23
