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Who did the CFB media pick to win: LSU or Ole Miss?

On3 imageby: Shea Dixon09/27/25sheadixon
On3's JD PicKell is rolling with LSU - his National Champion pick - to beat Ole Miss in Oxford
On3's JD PicKell is rolling with LSU - his National Champion pick - to beat Ole Miss in Oxford

From Paul Finebaum to the On3 college football national experts, here are some notable picks for LSU vs. Ole Miss as a pair of 4-0 SEC teams meet up in Oxford.

LSU enters the game ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll, while Ole Miss checks in at No. 13 in the rankings.

By Saturday evening, one team will move to 5-0 and another will suffer the program’s first loss of the season.

Here’s how some of the notable national media sees the SEC matchup unfolding.

On3’s JD PicKell is rolling with LSU – his National Champion pick

On3’s JD PicKell has not backed off his prediction for LSU to win the 2025 National Championship, and he sees the Tigers moving to 5-0 with a win at Ole Miss on Saturday.

He broke down the matchup this week, then dove deeper into the game – and all of the Top 25 matchups – on On3’s YouTube Channel.

Fans can watch all of PicKell’s weekly college football coverage and analysis on the On3 YouTube page.

On3’s Andy and Ari reveal their Week 5 picks – LSU included

On3’s Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman revealed their best bets for Week 5’s stacked slate of games, and both included the Top 15 matchup between LSU and Ole Miss in Oxford.

Staples picked Ole Miss to cover a 2.5 point spread vs. the Tigers, while Wasserman chose to roll with the under 55.5 total points scored by both teams.

College football fans can watch all of Andy and Ari podcasts, live shows and more on the On3 YouTube channel.

Paul Finebaum likes LSU’s team … but not in Oxford

Finebaum’s Take: “I like the home team — Ole Miss,” Finebaum stated. “This is such a narrow game, but to me, that home field matters. The Ole Miss situation is interesting. Austin Simmons was the quarterback, and everyone thought he was a good replacement for Jaxson Dart.

“But then here comes Trinidad Chambliss after an injury. And Lane Kiffin is very difficult to beat at home.

“A great deal is at stake for LSU and Brian Kelly,” Finebaum added. “I talked to him this week, and he scoffed when I mentioned Clemson. We all thought that win was a big deal, but now Clemson has three losses. They beat Florida, but Florida has three losses too. That’s the issue here.

“I still think LSU is a very good team. Nussmeier has been banged up a little bit—he hasn’t looked like the No. 1 pick. But Brian Kelly needs to get to the playoff this season, and a loss here would complicate things. It wouldn’t end it, because it would only be their first loss. But it would make the road a lot harder.”

ESPN College GameDay Podcast likes LSU to win on the road

On Wednesday, ESPN’s College GameDay Podcast hosts Pete Thamel and Rece Davis revealed their pick for the highly-anticipated SEC showdown.

“I’m leaning LSU. I just think the class of talent at Ole Miss is not what it was last year,” Thamel said. “I say the Tigers go in and roll.”

Ole Miss has looked plenty talented this season. The Rebels are 4-0 and coming off a statement 45-10 win over a talented Tulane squad. Alas, Thamel isn’t the only one who lacks confidence in Lane Kiffin and Co.

“I’m a believer in LSU,” Davis said. “LSU has not played to its potential offensively yet. How much of that is attributable to Garrett Nussmeier‘s core injury that apparently is getting better. We’ll see. I’m going to take LSU.”

Josh Pate says take the Rebels and lay the points

Pate’s Best Bet: Ole Miss (-1.5) vs. LSU

Current line from Bet MGM Sportsbook: Ole Miss (-1.5) vs. LSU

The second biggest SEC game of the weekend would be the top contest almost any other weekend. Pate thinks Lane Kiffin’s Rebels will defend home field in their showdown against LSU in Week 5.

Whether or not it comes to fruition remains to be seen. He didn’t have much to say outside of his pick, keeping it simple with Ole Miss getting the dub.

(Click here for all of Josh Pate’s “Best Bets” in Week 5)

David Pollack is also riding with Ole Miss over LSU

Pollack’s Pick: “I think that defense plays better at home. Like, that’s a proven fact. You play better at home,” Pollack said on his show, See Ball Get Ball. “The crowd noise helps. Nussmeier is really good, man. Like, really good. But what I’ve seen from him so far doesn’t tell me that they’re going to go light up the scoreboard. It tells me they’re going to make mistakes. It tells me they’re going to dink and dunk.

“I think, with (Ole Miss QB) Trinidad (Chambliss), the run game and the tempo, man, I lean Ole Miss. And I think it’s 27-24. I think Ole Miss kind of wears them out, wears that good defense out, puts up enough points. Hotty Toddy and the Sip (are) one of the best atmospheres, the Grove, in all of college football. Trinidad, the unsung hero of college football, puts up great numbers and comes up with a clutch win for Hotty Toddy.”

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Times of Interest: LSU vs. Ole Miss

LSU at Ole Miss
September 27, 2025 * Oxford, Miss. (Vaught-Hemingway Stadium) * ABC

Friday, Sept. 26
3:10 p.m. – Team departs campus
3:50 p.m. – Team departs Baton Rouge
5:10 p.m. – Team arrives in Tupelo, Miss.
5:40 p.m. – Team arrives at Hilton Garden Inn (Tupelo)

Saturday, Sept. 27
11:35 a.m. – LSU departs hotel for Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
12:30 p.m. – Tigers arrives at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
12:30 p.m. – Gates to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium open
12:30 p.m. – LSU Sports Radio Network Pregame Show starts
2:15 p.m. – LSU Sports Radio Network live from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
• Chris Blair, Jacob Hester, Gordy Rush
• Listen free at www.LSUsports.net/live or on LSU Sports Mobile App
2:33 p.m. – National Anthem
2:41 p.m. – LSU takes the field
2:41:30 p.m. – Ole Miss takes the field
2:42 p.m. – Coin toss at midfield
2:45 p.m. – Kickoff: LSU vs. Ole Miss on ABC