2022 Texas Bowl odds: Decimated LSU may be forced to start receiver at quarterback vs. Kansas State

Technically, the College Football Playoff national championship game is not considered a bowl, so the final bowl game of this season is tonight when LSU takes on Kansas State in the Texas Bowl from Houston. Weeks ago, the Tigers opened as 2.5-point favorites at Caesars Sportsbook but now they are +7 because they are so thinned-out by injury/transfer/opt out and may in fact start a receiver at quarterback. Click here for model picks. 

LSU starting quarterback Max Johnson transferred to Texas A&M weeks ago. Myles Brennan originally announced he also was planning to transfer but decided to return for new head coach Brian Kelly – but Brennan will not play tonight.

That leaves freshman Garrett Nussmeier as the only scholarship quarterback on the roster, but he's not expected to play, either, to preserve his redshirt season. Anyone who plays in four games or fewer can redshirt; Nussmeier has seen brief action in four. LSU reportedly asked the NCAA for a waiver but was denied.

Interim head coach Brad Davis – he has been retained by Kelly and will remain LSU''s offensive line coach in 2022 -- will have just 39 scholarship players available tonight and will have to use either freshman walk-ons Tavion Faulk and/or Matt O'Dowd under center or senior receiver Jontre Kirklin, a stellar high school quarterback in Louisiana who was a scout team QB for LSU in 2019.

If the Tigers were down to 39 scholarship players due to COVID, this game would be cancelled but because it's not related to the virus, it will go on. With leading rusher Tyrion-Davis Price opting out of the game, LSU is down to just two scholarship running backs and none with more than 65 carries. The defensive secondary has been decimated to the point that safety Jay Ward is the only established player available.

Kansas State will have starting QB Skylar Thompson available in his final NCAA game. He missed the final game of the regular season against Texas with a knee injury as well as a few others earlier in the year. In nine starts, Thompson won seven and threw for 1,854 yards and nine touchdowns. This will be his 40th career start.

The SEC is 5-6 in bowl games this season and the Big 12 is 4-2. It's the first meeting between LSU and Kansas State in 41 years.

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