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NCAA Football

Mississippi St. vs. Tennessee Preview/Pick

The Mississippi State Bulldogs go at it against the Tennessee Volunteers this week in a Saturday Football matchup. We preview and pick this week 8 clash.

NCAAF Week 8 Betting – Mississippi State Bulldogs at Tennessee Volunteers

Two disappointing squads who expected more will try to improve their lot on Saturday as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (2-4 SU, 3-2 ATS) travel to Knoxville to play the Tennessee Volunteers (2-4 SU, 1-4-1 ATS) in NCAA college football action in the Southeastern Conference. Game time is 7 PM ET at Neyland Stadium (natural turf).

Saturday, October 18
BetUS NCAA Football Betting Odds: TENNESSEE -7.5

Here are some of the NCAA college football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* MSU has lost four of its last six games SU
* MSU has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* TENN is 1-4-1 ATS in its last six games
* TENN has lost four of its last six games SU
* TENN has played its last five games UNDER the total
* TENN has covered one of its last five home games
* TENN has won 10 of its last 11 home games SU
* TENN has played its last five home games UNDER the total

Also….

* TENN has covered four of the last five meetings
* TENN has won the last five meetings SU

Tennessee had an absolutely awful outing last time out, as the Vols gained one net rushing yard against the Georgia Bulldogs. Arian Foster gained just THREE yards in that contest, but he has struggled overall, with just 145 yards in his last four games. And he’s made crucial fumbles as well.

Nick Stephens, a sophomore who saw no action last season, was handed the starting QB job when Jonathan Crompton was removed. Stephens has thrown three TD passes without an interception, but with 49% completions, it is clear that he is still a work in progress.

So how much smoother will things get against Mississippi State, a team that does anything but move the ball at will, but has shut down a couple of nationally-ranked teams in being very competitive. Last week’s performance against previously undefeated Vanderbilt was a gem, as the Bulldog stop unit held the Commodores to just 45 yards on the ground and 62 in the air.

You have to wonder whether Tennessee’s working parts are well-oiled enough that they can improve considerably on that. This team rolled up 548 yards against non-defensive UAB, but since then has not topped 258 yards. Tennessee is 108th in scoring, while MSU is 113th. That, to begin with, would seem to imply a tightly-contested defensive game marked with enough offensive ineptitude that one squad will not pull away from the other.

Tyson Lee has been at least steady at the helm for MSU while he’s been in there (no INT’s in 93 attempts). With the unrest and unhappiness in Knoxville, where Phil Fullmer’s job may not be on the line but his judgment has clearly been in question (and where he has called out some players on the carpet in public), we’re not willing to lay this kind of lumber.

Grab the points with Mississippi State, the 7.5-point underdog in the BetUS NCAA college football betting odds.

Our PLAY: MISSISSIPPI STATE +7.5 **

By Cappers Picks

Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"