Two SEC foes face off in Starkville this weekend as the Mississippi State Bulldogs host the No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers. It’s an elite defense vs. an elite offense. The Vols have averaged 53.5 points per game this season, which leads the SEC, while the Bulldogs are allowing just 11.8 points per game. Something has to give.
The Vols are coming off a 56-24 victory over UAB — a nice rebound after their heartbreaking 44-41 overtime loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in Week 3. As for the Bulldogs, they defeated Northern Illinois, 38-10. They racked up 292 yards on the ground, their most vs. an FBS opponent since 2019.
Tennessee has won eight of the last 10 matchups vs. Mississippi State, which is 1-15 in SEC play since the start of the 2023 season. That’s the worst conference record among power conference teams in that span. Let’s break down this matchup, but first, here’s how you can watch:
Where to watch Tennessee vs. Mississippi State live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27 | Time: 4:15 p.m. ET
Location: Davis Wade Stadium — Mississippi State, Mississippi
TV: SEC Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
What to know about Tennessee vs. Mississippi State
Best offense in the SEC? Tennessee averages 53.5 points per game, 337.8 yards passing per game and has found the end zone 14 times through the air. All of those numbers rank No. 1 in the SEC. The Vols also average 554 yards of total offense per game, which ranks second in the conference behind Missouri. Sure, Tennessee played ETSU and UAB, but the Vols also played Syracuse and Georgia. The Vols dropped 21 points on UGA in just the first quarter. It will be interesting to see how Joey Aguilar performs in his first true road test with the Vols. He’s thrown for 200 yards in 28 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the FBS.
Bulldogs on the ground: A path to victory for Mississippi State is winning the time of possession battle and keeping the high-flying Tennessee offense off the field. That’s possible by asserting your will via the ground game. The Bulldogs have rushed for 280 yards in consecutive games for the first time since 2018. Fluff Bothwell, who has been a stud, is their leading rusher with 271 yards and four touchdowns, while Davon Booth has rushed for 149 yards and three scores.
Bettors like the home (Bull)dogs: The Vols opened up around 9-point favorites, but it’s now down to a 7-point line in some places. There’s clearly some money coming in on the home dogs. This is a massive game for the Bulldogs, not because it’s at home vs. a top-15 team, but because their schedule gets tough. Up next is No. 9 Texas A&M, Florida, No. 10 Texas, Arkansas, No. 5 Georgia, No. 20 Missouri, and then of course No. 13 Ole Miss to close out the year. We are going to figure out who Mississippi State is on Saturday.
Tennessee vs. Mississippi State prediction, pick
Did you know the Over has hit in eight straight games for Tennessee? That’s the longest active streak in the FBS. However, Mississippi State is 4-0 against the spread! The Bulldogs are one of eight FBS teams that has not lost a game, or lost against the spread — a list that includes Houston, Memphis, Vanderbilt, Arizona, Florida State, BYU and UNLV.
Mississippi State was the underdog earlier this season when Arizona State came to town. The Bulldogs won that game outright, 24-20. With the number over a touchdown, I’ll take Mississippi State to keep it close, but the Vols win. Pick: Mississippi State +7.5
Read the full article here
