Teams renewing a rivalry after six years meet when the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns battle the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Thursday night. The Golden Eagles (4-3, 2-1), who are in their first season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, are meeting the Ragin’ Cajuns (4-3, 2-2) for the first time since the 2016 New Orleans Bowl. Southern Miss has been on a bit of a roll, winning four of its past five games, including two in a row. The Ragin’ Cajuns are also on a two-game winning streak, having lost three in a row prior.
Kickoff from Carlisle-Faulkner Field at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss., is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Louisiana averages 356.9 yards per game in 2022, 97th-best in the nation, while Southern Mississippi averages 334, 112th-best. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 1.5-point favorites in the latest Southern Miss vs. Louisiana odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 42. Before making any Louisiana vs. Southern Miss picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Louisiana vs. Southern Mississippi and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college football odds and betting lines for Southern Miss vs. Louisiana:
- Louisiana vs. Southern Miss spread: Louisiana -1.5
- Louisiana vs. Southern Miss over/under: 42 pointsÂ
- Louisiana vs. Southern Miss money line: Louisiana -125, USM +105
- UL: The Ragin’ Cajuns are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games in October
- USM: The Golden Eagles are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following an ATS winÂ
- Louisiana vs. Southern Miss picks: See picks here
Featured Game | Southern Miss Golden Eagles vs. Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns
Why Southern Miss can cover
The Golden Eagles have a pair of top-notch receivers in senior Jason Brownlee and junior Jakarius Caston. Brownlee leads the receiving corps with 31 catches for 397 yards (12.8 average) and four touchdowns. In the 27-10 loss at Troy on Oct. 8, Brownlee caught 12 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown. His other 100-yard game came in a Week 2 loss at Miami, when he caught five passes for 102 yards and a score. For his career, he has 111 receptions for 1,650 yards (14.9 average) and 17 touchdowns.
Caston has also been a reliable target with 21 receptions for 264 yards (12.6 average) and three TDs. He has at least one catch in five of the six games he has played in. Against Northwestern State on Sept. 17, he had six catches for 94 yards (15.7 average) and two touchdowns. A week later at Tulane, he had eight receptions for 91 yards (11.4 average) and a score. For his career, he has 37 catches for 503 yards (13.6 average) and four touchdowns.
Why Louisiana can coverÂ
The Ragin’ Cajuns won the West Division last season, going 8-0 in league play and 13-1 overall. One of the top weapons on offense from that team is junior tight end Neal Johnson. Johnson is the team’s second-leading receiver this season with 14 catches for 181 yards (12.9 average) and two scores. In last Saturday’s 38-18 win over Arkansas State, he made two catches for 28 yards and a touchdown. He had 22 catches for 287 yards (13 average) and one touchdown in 2021.
Defensively, among the team’s leaders is sixth-year senior linebacker Andre Jones. Jones has been a beast, making 23 tackles, including 10 solo, with 4 ½ sacks for 25 yards, one pass breakup and one interception. He has a sack in three of the last four games, and made six tackles, including three solo, in the 20-17 loss to South Alabama. For his career, he has 178 tackles, including 94 solo, with seven pass breakups, 13 ½ sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception.
How to make Louisiana vs. Southern Miss picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the point total, projecting 41 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that hits in almost 70% of simulations. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.Â
So who wins Louisiana vs. Southern Mississippi? And which side of the spread hits in almost 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Louisiana vs. Southern Mississippi spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that finished the past six-plus years up nearly $3,000 on its FBS college football picks, and find out.