The Sugar Bowl game between the Baylor Bears and Ole Miss Rebels offers a stark contrast in coaching personalities. Dave Aranda of the Baylor Bears is supremely cerebral and unemotional. When his Bears stopped the Oklahoma State Cowboys an inch shy of the goal line to clinch the Big 12 Championship, Aranda stood calm in the middle of a wild celebratory storm. His demeanor brought back memories of Tom Landry patrolling the sidelines of the Dallas Cowboys back in the day. By contrast, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is a master Twitter troll with plenty of snark. Baby Kiff, as he is known, is not above using his team's play-call sheet as a paper airplane during big plays. Most importantly, Aranda and Kiffin have one thing in common; They are Winners. As such, Aranda and Kiffin earned raises and extensions in early December during the hurricane of the College Football Coaching Carousel.
The Baylor Bears will face the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. This game will take place on Saturday, January 1, 2022, at 8:45 p.m. ET with television coverage on ESPN.
College Football Betting at BookMaker.eu
Baylor Bears +1
Ole Miss Rebels -1
Total 55.5
Odds Analysis
Ole Miss opened as a 1-point favorite with a total of 55. There is no doubt that SEC branding is the main ingredient for this price. On the whole, Wise Guys see the Bears as the more complete team. The Ole Miss suspect defense puts off Sharps. Also, the Wise Guys know that the masses will be flooding the betting window with cash on Ole Miss. Squares love the antics of Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. And then add in the SEC branding, and you have an understandable favorite. Wise Guys are confident that the Baylor defense will be prepared for the prolific Ole Miss offense.
Baylor Bears
Baylor enters this game with a record of 11-2 straight up, 9-4 against the spread, and 6-7 under the total. The Bears are coming off a 21-16 win over Oklahoma State as 7-point dogs in the Big 12 Championship Game. Baylor ranks 37th in the nation for scoring offense and 15th for points allowed. Baylor got the money in three of its most recent four games. Five of their previous six games went under the total.
Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon compiled a 151.8 QB rating with 2160 yards passing and a 17/7 TD/INT ratio. Abram Smith keeps defenses honest with 1429 yards rushing, 6.2 yards per rush, and 12 touchdowns. Tyquan Thornton was Baylor’s top receiver with 61 catches, 946 yards, 15.5 yards per catch, and nine touchdowns.
Ole Miss Rebels
The Ole Miss Rebels are 10-2 straight up, 7-4-1 against the spread, and 3-9 under the total. Ole Miss ranks 18th in the nation for scoring offense and 54th for points allowed. The Rebels have covered three of their most recent four games. Ole Miss has gone under the total in seven consecutive games. Last time out, the Rebels beat Mississippi State 31-21 as 2.5-point road dogs.
Many fans and gamblers were disappointed that Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral didn’t get a Heisman Trophy invite to New York. Corral finished with a 157.5 QB rating, 3339 yards passing, 8.6 yards per attempt, and a 20/4 TD/INT ratio. Also, Corral finished third on the team for rushing with 597 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wideout Dontario Drummond caught 67 passes, good for 924 yards and eight TDs.
Baylor vs. Ole Miss Prediction
Baylor brings the better defense and enough offense to get the job done in this matchup. As the game progresses, the Ole Miss defense should wilt.
BookMaker Pick: Baylor Bears
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