LSU QB ankle injury could factor into Georgia betting line increase in SEC title game

ATHENS —Georgia has increased to a 17 1/2-point favorite over LSU in the SEC Championship Game, up 2 1/2 points from where the line opened two weeks ago.

The uncertain status of LSU’s Jayden Daniels may have something to do with that.

The Bayou Bengals’ elusive quarterback injured his ankle with 6:21 remaining in LSU’s 38-23 loss at Texas A&M on Saturday night.

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Daniels re-entered the game, his ankle heavily taped, but coach Brian Kelly said he was kept in a protective boot on Sunday.

Kelly was guardedly optimistic Daniels will be OK for the 4 p.m. game against Georgia on Saturday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“It wasn’t a high-ankle sprain, (and) those are the things that you concern yourself with because that’s going to limit his mobility,” Kelly said.

“He’s going to need to have obviously all of his mobility and more. Early indications look pretty good.”

Perhaps, but if the injury costs Daniels any preparation time it would be costly against a Georgia team that leads the nation in scoring defense (11.33 points per game) and is fifth in pass efficiency defense.

Georgia, meanwhile, appears on the brink of of getting explosive receiver Adonai Mitchell back from the ankle injury that sidelined him and slowed him since the second game of the season.

“He’s better than he’s been, (and) he’s improved each week,” Smart said. “He was able to do a little bit more this week in terms of warmup and during the game.”

Other league championship game lines:

USC - 2 1/2 over Utah, Las Vegas

TCU - 2 1/2 over Kansas State, Arlington, TX

Clemson -9 over North Carolina, Charlotte, N.C.

Michigan - 15 1/2 over Purdue, Indianapolis