By the time they take the field on Friday, the Missouri Tigers will have gone over a month without scoring a touchdown. They'll have to break that hex against the suddenly surging Mississippi State Bulldogs if they want to have a shot at the upset.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Bulldogs have quietly only lost two games this year, and they gave LSU as good of a game as anyone has to date. If the Bayou Bengals get beaten by Alabama this weekend, all of a sudden, the SEC West is going to be cast into flux, and MSU could be right back in the thick of the fight.
It's not surprising that they're heavy favorites in this game after being dogs in their first two SEC road contests. Mississippi State currently checks in as 7-point road chalk.
KEY MISMATCH
The Mississippi State defense isn't elite by any stretch of the imagination, but we have a tough time seeing where Missouri is scoring from.
Ever since Maty Mauk was suspended, this offense has been putrid from a passing standpoint. Drew Lock is barely completing half of his passes, and he has just three touchdown passes in 152 attempts. Lock is a statue in the pocket, and he is going to be under a lot of duress against an underrated MSU defensive front which will be gunning for him.
Yes, Will Redmond is out for the season in the Mississippi State secondary, but at this point, we're not sure that the Tigers could score against an FCS team.
KEY STAT
1 – The number of interceptions which Dak Prescott has thrown so far this season. That said, keep in mind that last season, Prescott went into October without throwing an interception either, and he ended up with 11 picks on the year. He'll have to keep his wits about him in this one and keep control of the football to avoid any chance at any upset.
BETTING ANGLE
To say that 'under' is the word for the Tigers this year is an understatement. The number to beat was just 34 against Vanderbilt, and even those who teased that number by two touchdowns didn't even come close.
Mizzou has now played eight straight unders to start off the year, and it only has one game which has gotten into the 40s, a 27-20 win over Arkansas State.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Though we would love to lay the lumber with Mississippi State, we're going to take the plunge and take the over in spite of the fact that it has been devastating for Tigers bettors this year. It isn't going to take all that much from Prescott, and we have to remember that he and his Bulldogs have put up at least 42 points three weeks in a row.
If they can get to 30 this week, they should push this game past the total, something that we think we'll see with ease.
Mississippi State 38, Missouri 14
The college football lines for this Friday game surfaced at BookMaker before anywhere else on the internet. The Mississippi State Bulldogs opened as favorites at -7. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker's live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The matchup between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Missouri Tigers is set for Friday, November 6, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. ET at Faurot Field. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN.
