Tennessee vs Missouri Odds and Preview: Close Game Expected

Rocky Top Insider
 
Tennessee vs Missouri Odds and Preview: Close Game Expected

The Tennessee Volunteers are No. 13 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, and they have a big game in store this weekend. The Vols are in Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers, who are ranked No. 14. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:30 ET. Thinking about betting on the game? You can enhance the action by claiming several sports betting welcome bonuses with our promo codes.

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Tennessee vs Missouri Preview

Both teams enter this matchup with records of 7-2, and both teams are 6-3 against the spread. Oddsmakers are expecting a tight game, as Tennessee is favored by a single point, making it essentially a pick’ em. On the moneyline, the Volunteers have odds of -120, while the Tigers have odds of +100. The total, or over/under, is listed at 58.5. It is important to remember that these odds can vary across different sportsbooks, and are subject to change up until kick-off on Saturday afternoon.

Tennessee Volunteers: Looking To Keep Rolling Against the Tigers

The road has not been kind to the Volunteers this season, as they are 1-2 in SEC road games. The good news is that they were victorious in their last road game, defeating Kentucky 33-27 on Oct. 28. The Vols followed that up with a 59-3 win over UConn last week. Now, they face a strong Missouri team who is coming off a 30-21 loss to No. 2 Georgia. Needless to say, the Tigers will be hungry to get back into the win column.

Tennessee has been known for its air-raid offense in recent years, but the Vols have put a heavy emphasis on running the ball this season. In fact, they are the No. 1 rushing offense in the SEC, and their 227.8 rushing yards per game is third-best in the entire country. The running game doesn’t depend on one rusher, but Jaylen Wright leads the way with 826 yards and three touchdowns on the season. Jabari Small (415 yards) and Dylan Sampson (405 yards) are also steady contributors. QB Joe Milton can also make plays with his legs, as he has rushed 59 times for 265 yards and five touchdowns on the year. In the air, Milton has completed 65.4% of his passes for 2,106 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with four interceptions.

Tennessee is 2-0 against Missouri under head coach Josh Heupel, and both games were not close. The Vols beat the Tigers by a score of 62-24 in 2021, and 66-24 last season. Those performances should give Heupel and the Vols some confidence, but this is the best Missouri team Tennessee has seen in a while. The Tigers will be ready.

Missouri Tigers: Aiming For First Win Over Vols Since 2018

Head coach Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri Tigers have surprised a lot of people so far this season. After posting records of 5-5, 6-7 and 6-7 in his first three seasons in Columbia, Drinkwitz has his Tigers in good form with a 7-2 record and a No. 14 ranking in the College Football Playoff rankings.

WR Luther Burden has been a standout receiver for the Tigers. On the year, Burden has hauled in 64 catches for 958 yards and seven touchdowns. The Tigers were held to their lowest point total of the season last week (21), and Burden only had three catches on the day. Don’t be surprised if Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore dials up plays for Burden early and often in order to get him involved. In addition, if the Tigers are going to defend their home turf in this one, QB Brady Cook has to take care of the football. After not throwing an interception in the first five games of the season, Cook has thrown five interceptions in his last four games.

Tennessee has won six of the last ten meetings between these teams, including the last four straight. Missouri’s last win over Tennessee came back in 2018 when the Tigers beat the Vols 50-17 at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee vs Missouri Prediction

Heupel’s offense has scored 62 and 66 points in two matchups against Missouri. After allowing the Vols to light up the scoreboard the past two seasons, look for Drinkwitz and company to be more prepared the third time around. Tennessee’s offensive personnel is vastly different from the past few years, and their focus on the running game could lead Mizzou’s defense to force Milton to beat them through the air. Milton is capable, but Tennessee’s offense has not been as potent on the road as it has been at home. On the other side, Missouri loves to feed RB Cody Schrader, as he has carried the ball 20+ times in each of Missouri’s last three games. He has been effective, but Tennessee possesses the No. 1 rush defense in the SEC, holding opponents to 97.1 rushing yards per game. Overall, it may take both offenses some time to get going. Consider taking the First Half Under 29.5 at -108 odds on DraftKings.