Brian Kelly’s 9-4 LSU Fighting Tigers head to Orlando to take on the 8-5 Purdue Boilermakers in the 2023 Citrus Bowl. Which team will end their season on a high? We’ve got all the latest college football betting odds and an LSU vs. Purdue prediction for the 2022 Citrus Bowl.
LSU vs. Purdue Betting Preview
- Spread
Not available - Moneyline
Not available - Over/Under
Not available - Game time
1 p.m. ET - Location
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL - Predicted weather
76 degrees, sunny, 5.8 mph winds - How to watch
ESPN, fuboTV
Thanks a lot, Drew Brees. If you’re looking for LSU vs. Purdue odds and wondering why you can’t find them, you can blame the former New Orleans Saints and Purdue quarterback.
Brees took on an interim assistant coach role with the Boilermakers ahead of the Citrus Bowl, returning to his alma mater following the departure of head coach Jeff Brohm. However, Brees already had an existing relationship with sportsbook PointsBet — including a heavily publicized lightning-strike advertisement — which contravenes a statute that prevents athletes, coaches, referees, or directors of a sports governing body from having any vested interest in a sportsbook.
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It’s important to point out that Brees hasn’t been directly named. However, sportsbooks have been ordered by New Jersey gaming regulators to halt betting on the Citrus Bowl. For what it’s worth, LSU is 7-6 against the spread this year, with Purdue covering in just 38.5% of their 2022 college football clashes.
Prediction for LSU vs. Purdue
The Brian Kelly era at LSU began with defeat to Florida State and derision, but ended with a trip to the Citrus Bowl via the SEC Championship Game. Meanwhile, Purdue made the Big Ten title game but lost coach Brohm to Louisville.
These two teams have never met before, so who will win the inaugural matchup?
Brohm isn’t the only loss that Purdue is dealing with in the Citrus Bowl. Interim head coach and offensive coordinator Brian Brohm has a slew of opt-outs and injuries that will impact his starting lineup against LSU in what is just the fourth bowl appearance in 10 years for the Boilermakers.
After throwing for 3,490 yards and 22 touchdowns this fall, quarterback Aidan O’Connell declared for the 2023 NFL Draft and opted out of the Citrus Bowl. His go-to target in the Purdue passing game, Charle Jones, followed suit and will not add to his 1,361 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
Already thin at wide receiver following injuries this year, the Purdue offense is also without tight end Payne Durham. Between Jones and Durham, the Boilermakers are missing 20 touchdowns and 1,928 total yards of offense from their 8-5 season.
On defense, star cornerback Cory Trice has opted out to focus on preparation for the 2023 NFL Draft. Trice, a size/athleticism freak, leads Purdue in pass breakups (10) while adding two interceptions — one of which was returned for a touchdown. He’s a huge loss for a Boilermakers defense that has allowed 24.6 points per game through the 2022 campaign.
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It doesn’t sound promising for Purdue. However, the Boilermakers aren’t the only team dealing with significant departures ahead of the Citrus Bowl.
LSU has been absolutely riddled by opt-outs and transfer portal departures since the end of the season. On offense, they’ll be without Kayshon Boutte, Jack Bech, and Jaray Jenkins, while receiver Kyren Lacy was an injury concern at the time of writing.
On defense, Jaquelin Roy, BJ Ojulari, Ali Gaye, Jay Ward, and Mekhi Garner have all opted out, with several other transfer portal departures and injury concerns. They’re all big losses for a defense that has allowed 23.7 points per game, including giving up 88 points in their last two games.
In both of those games, they’ve allowed over 200 rushing yards. That should be to the advantage of a Purdue team that will presumably roll through running back Devin Mockobee, who has averaged 5.1 yards per carry while racking up 1,168 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns this season.
The true ground threat in this game, however, is LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels whose return from injury for the Citrus Bowl is likely to be the deciding factor. The dual-threat QB has 44 rushing plays of 10+ yards this season — more than any other quarterback in the nation — and ranks sixth amongst all rushers.
Daniels improved as a passer as the season progressed too. Behind an offensive line that will be at full strength, and with the talented Brian Thomas Jr. at his disposal, Daniels should be able to lead this LSU team to a second Citrus Bowl win in the last 10 years.
Prediction: LSU 35, Purdue 18
