How many points? LSU hasn't been this big of a home underdog in 21 years

Despite LSU surging to a 7-1 record in a season that many thought could go sideways, Vegas doesn’t think the No. 4 Tigers have much of a shot at home against top-ranked Alabama on Saturday.

In fact, oddsmakers haven’t been this down on LSU in more than two decades.

The Crimson Tide is favored by 14.5 points, which makes the Tigers the biggest home underdogs they’ve been since 1997, according to a tweet from ESPN’s Chris Low. That means most of LSU’s undergrad students weren’t even born the last time a visiting team was favored by this many points in Death Valley.

This is the biggest underdog @LSUfootball has been at home since 1997. The last time @AlabamaFTBL, which opened as a 14 1/2-point favorite vs. the Tigers, wasn't favored in a game was 2015 at Georgia. Alabama was a 1-point underdog vs. the No. 8 Dawgs and won 38-10.

— Chris Low (@ClowESPN) October 29, 2018

Granted, it’s clear the Tigers don’t care about projections. They’ve exceeded expectations at every turn this season, most notably winning as underdogs against Miami and Auburn early in the season before earning a signature win for Ed Orgeron against Georgia on Oct. 13.

Throw in the facts that this game is against the team’s most hated rival and that LSU has played Alabama closely in the last three meetings in Baton Rouge, and you might convince yourself to disregard such a big point spread.