Missouri vs. Miss State Prediction
Missouri will look to finish its first season under coach Eli Drinkwitz will a winning record when it takes on Mississippi State at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Will the Tigers cover as a small road favorite or are the Bulldogs the better bet as a home dog?
Game Snapshot
249 Missouri Tigers (-1) at 250 Mississippi State Bulldogs (+1); o/u 49.5
Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, MS
3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, December 19, 2020
TV: SEC Network ALT
Missouri Tigers Game Notes
Missouri junior WR Jalen Knox (leg) has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against Mississippi State. Knox (6’0″/196) had to be helped off the field in last weekend’s match against Georgia. Before leaving the field that day, Knox had caught three passes for 25 yards. Though not Missouri’s leading WR this season, Knox has been a stable force for the passing offense, particularly in the short-to-intermediate area. Moving the chains may be a tad bit more difficult without him in the lineup against Miss State. Fellow WR Micah Wilson (undisclosed) will also miss the game.
Mississippi State Bulldogs Game Notes
Mississippi State freshman QB Will Rogers completed 30-of-51 passes for 221 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in Saturday’s 24-10 loss to Auburn. In Rogers’ defense, the Miss State run game gave him absolutely nothing to work with. The freshman was on his own both in terms of keeping the sticks moving and trying to generate big plays. Versus a stout Auburn defense, that proved too much for him to handle, which is how he ended up crumbling for two picks. That kind of pressure, both in the pocket and in a game-state sense, would be too much for almost any freshman, though, so there is no need to harp on Rogers too hard for how things turned out. Miss State are now 2-7 with a game against Missouri up left to round out the year.
Missouri vs. Mississippi State Betting Prediction
There’s more value in the total than the side in this SEC matchup. The under is a perfect 7-0 in the Tigers’ last seven road games, is 9-1 in their last 10 games coming off a loss and is 6-1 in their last seven games as a favorite. The under is also 4-0 in Missouri’s last four games as a road favorite, is 7-0 in its last seven games after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in its previous contest and is 12-3 in its last 15 games coming off a loss of more than 20 points.
On the other side, the under is 7-1 in the Bulldogs’ last eight games overall, is 6-1 in their last seven games after a double-digit loss at home and is 38-15 in their last 53 conference games. The under is also 16-5 in Mississippi State’s last 21 games following a loss of any kind.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 16 BETTING PREDICTION: MISSOURI/MISSISSIPPI STATE UNDER 49.5
