In the last 40 seasons, no defending national champion has been as big of an underdog as LSU is this week against top-ranked Alabama.
LSU is a consensus 29.5-point home underdog to the Crimson Tide. The line had grown to -30 at William Hill sportsbooks in Mississippi.
Auburn, in 2011, is the only other team to be a 20-plus-point underdog in a game the season after winning the national championship, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
LSU put together one of the most dominant runs ever last season. Led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow, the Tigers beat seven top-10 teams and boasted an overall margin of victory of 27 points en route to capturing the national championship.