LSU vs Florida College World Series Game 1 Odds, Picks & Predictions (June 24)
By Robert Duff in News
Published:
- The #2 Florida Gators are -120 favorites over the #5 LSU Tigers in Game 1 of the College World Series final on Saturday, June 24
- LSU beat #1 Wake Forest 5-2 to advance to the final
- The Gators are 3-0, all of the games one-run victories, at the CWS
The LSU Tigers (52-16) already playing the role of giant killer at the College World Series and next up on their list are the #2-seeded Florida Gators (53-15). The two SEC schools are clashing in the CWS final.
LSU knocked off top-seeded Wake Forest 2-0 in an 11-inning thriller to advance to face Florida.
Oddsmakers are setting the Gators as -120 favorites over the Tigers in Game 1 of this series. Florida has won eight games in a row.
LSU vs Florida  Odds
| Team | Run Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSU Tigers | -1.5 (+100) | O 10 (-120) | -110 |
| Florida Gators | +1.5 (-130) | U 10 (-110) | -120 |
First pitch on Saturday, June 24 at Charles Schwab Field is set for 7:00pm ET. ESPN is carrying all the CWS action. This is the first game of a best-of-three series. Further games will be played Sunday, and Monday if necessary.
In the College World Series public betting trends, the people are playing the underdog Tigers. In run line splits, LSU is getting 74% of handle and 77% of bets. The moneyline aren’t as solidly for LSU but it’s still the Tigers being given the slight majority. LSU is drawing 52% of handle and 54% of bets.
As far as the total of 10 runs, the people seem sold on the under. It’s garnering 69% of handle and 93% of bets.
Both Florida and LSU are given similar -110 odds to win the CWS.
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LSU vs Florida Pitching Matchup
By sweeping through the CWS without a loss, the Gators are rested and ready to go against the Tigers. Staff ace junior right-hander Brandon Sproat will toe the rubber to start Game 1. He’s 8-2 with a 4.66 ERA and 1.21 WHIP through 18 starts. Sproat has fanned 127 batters over 102.1 innings of work.
LSU is expected to be countering with right-hander Ty Floyd. The Tigers will be requiring the junior to be eating up innings, as the Tigers bullpen has been significantly taxed over the past few days. Floyd is 7-0 this season with a 4.45 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He’s struck out 103 over just 83 innings on the bump.
Gators Are Playing Clutch Baseball
Three one-run victories have proven to be the recipe for success that the Gators are deploying during the CWS. Florida beat Virginia 6-5, Oral Roberts 5-4 and TCU 3-2. The Gators are 10-3 SU in one-run games this season.
The stage is set!#MCWS x @LSUbaseball x @GatorsBB pic.twitter.com/FUXcBCCUpR
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 23, 2023
Florida has slugged seven homers through those three victories. First baseman Jac Caglianone has crushed an NCAA-leading 31 dingers. Outfielder Wyatt Langford (18 homers) and shortstop Josh Rivera (17) are also deep threats.
Walkoff Win Puts Tigers In Final
LSU made history with the 2-0 win over Wake Forest. With Tommy White smacking a two-run homer in the 11th inning, it marked the first time in CWS history that a scoreless tie had been snapped with a walkoff home run.
Tommy White's home run last night was the first walk-off homer to break a scoreless tie in Men's College World Series history. pic.twitter.com/HtiUrJ45uY
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 23, 2023
In advancing to the final, the Tigers were 3-1 SU against Wake Forest and Tennessee, the two schools that are 1-2 in the nation in team ERA. This is LSU’s eighth trip to the CWS final, but the first for the school since 2017. The Tigers lost to Florida in that CWS final series.
Third baseman White has now slugged 23 homers and driven in 100 runs this season. Outfielder Dylan Crews, who is projected to be the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, was on base when White homered. Crews is batting .423 with 18 homers and 69 RBI.
LSU vs Florida College World Series Pick
Even though both schools play in the same conference, this will be their first meeting of the season. SEC schools are winners of eight of the past 12 CWS titles.
LSU (138) and Florida (136) are 2-3 in the nation in home runs. The Tigers offense is also first in runs scored (608), fourth in the NCAA in on-base percentage (.430), and fifth in slugging percentage (556). Florida (.543) is seventh in the latter category.
Ultimately, Florida’s well-rested pitching staff should make the difference in Game 1.
LSU vs Florida Pick: Florida Gators ML (-130)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
