LSU Football, Oklahoma Sooners and Notre Dame Shake Up National Championship Odds

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers (5-1, 2-1 SEC) remain at the forefront of the National Championship conversation with the program coming in as the No. 10 team in America.

Following a Week 7 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks, Kelly and Co. cruised back inside the Top-10 of the AP Top-25 Poll with all eyes on the Bayou Bengals.

Now, it's about closing out a rigorous October slate on the right foot with a pair of Southeastern Conference games remaining on the slate.

After taking down South Carolina, LSU will go on the road to Vanderbilt in Week 8 followed by a primetime showdown in Tiger Stadium against Texas A&M on Oct. 25.

The "gauntlet" of SEC play has arrived with a difficult schedule ahead, but for Kelly and Co., it's about taking it one game at a time with the "1-0" mantra paving the way.

Now, Vanderbilt is up next on the docket for the Bayou Bengals with a Diego Pavia led Commodores squad looking to spoil LSU's title hopes.

"Make him one-dimensional. I think those dual-threat quarterbacks, if they can do both, you're in [trouble]," Kelly said of Pavia. "So we've got to really do a great job in the running game, and not to say that he can't throw the ball, because he can.

"They average over 200 yards throwing the football, and he's capable. But I think if you're trying to choose one or the other, he's going to kill you if he runs. So we're going to take the path that we need to be really good against the run, and then put them in predictable situations.

"[Vanderbilt] is the best in the country in third-down because they're in third and short most of the time. So we've got to get them off schedule. First down is really crucial for us. If we can get them in second and third situations that are a little bit longer, we can be more predictive relative to the balance between run and pass."

LSU Tigers Football: Brian Kelly. — Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Heading into Week 8, LSU and Vanderbilt remain programs in the hunt for a College Football Playoff berth. What are the new National Championship odds?

The Updated National Championship Odds:

*Betting odds via FanDuel Sportsbook*

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (+320)
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (+700)
3. Miami Hurricanes (+850)
4. Indiana Hoosiers (+950)
5. Georgia Bulldogs (+1000)
6. Oregon Ducks (+1200)
7. Texas A&M Aggies (+1200)
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+1500)
9. Texas Longhorns (+1600)
10. Texas Tech Red Raiders (+1700)
11. Ole Miss Rebels (+2200)
12. Oklahoma Sooners (+3000)
13. LSU Tigers (+4000)
14. Missouri Tigers (+3500)
15. Vanderbilt Commodores (+5500)

LSU Tigers Football: Nussmeier. — Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Brian Kelly's Take: Correct Red-Zone Mistakes

"Those are correctable. No doubt. I think the question is one that I present myself with every Sunday when I come back in, like what are the issues here that we can fix and are really fixable that you don't see them again or you don't see them pop up again to the point where they can cost you a game?

"The foundational principles of getting off the ball, playing great run defense, attacking the ball in the air, pushing the ball down the field were in place. Now let's be a better version of that as we continue to move forward."

More LSU News:

LSU Football, Oregon Ducks and Indiana Hoosiers Headline Latest CFP Projections

The Early Betting Lines: LSU Football vs. Vanderbilt Commodores in Week 8 Matchup

Updated AP Top-25 Poll: LSU Football Climbs Up, Oklahoma Sooners Drop in Rankings

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU Tigers.