NCAAF No. 14 Tennessee at No. 16 Missouri

It’s a top-25 SEC East pairing, with the 14th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers visiting the No. 16 Missouri Tigers in Columbia. Both teams are 7-2 overall, 3-2 in conference.

Game time at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium is 3:30 PM ET. 

Tennessee emasculated the one-win Connecticut Huskies, 59-3, in Knoxville last week.

UT finished with 650 yards of offense (375 air, 275 ground). It was the second consecutive win by the Vols, coming after a 33-27 decision against Kentucky in Lexington.

Missouri’s been one of the better stories this season, playing each opponent tough. Its losses (10 points to the LSU Tigers, nine points to the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs) have seen the team arguably be more resilient than during some of the wins.

Tennessee is a tepid, one-point favorite (total at 59), according to college football odds.

Moneyline is Vols -110, Tigers even. 

Tennessee has won six of 11 games between the teams (the last four, 66-24 last season).

Run, Vols, Run

By stopping the run, you stop the Tennessee Volunteers. 

That doesn’t pan out very often. Tennessee (35.4 points per game) is averaging 226.7 rushing yards/game (fourth in nation). Jaylen Wright (826 rushing yards, 7.5 yards/carry, three touchdowns) leads a backfield which includes Dylan Sampson and his seven touchdowns. 

Quarterback Joe Milton III (2,016 passing yards, 15 touchdowns,four interceptions) has been sacked 13 times, so sort of a mixed bag. Wideout  Squirrel White has 45 receptions (556 yards).

Defensively, the Vols have 30 sacks this season, so no issues getting to the other quarterback.

Mizzou Nursing Hangover?

The Missouri Tigers were tied, 10-10, with the defending champion Georgia Bulldogs at the half last week. It ended in a 30-21 Mizzou losing effort, and how the Tigers bounce back is one of the keys to this game. 

Quarterback Brady Cook (2,471 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, five interceptions) has been terrific this season, a friend in Luther Burden III (64 receptions, 958 yards, seven touchdowns). 

Running back Cody Shrader (919 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns) is the workhorse, averaging 18 carries per game.

It’s the Tigers

In an SEC dominated by the Georgia Bulldogs, the Tennessee Volunteers are 40-1 (+4000) to win the title, while the Missouri Tigers are off the board, as per college football conference odds. 

Tennessee is a better overall team than Missouri, but this Tiger team has played everyone tough. Then, there’s the huge boost provided by the Faurot faithful.  

Tennessee hasn’t received consistent play at quarterback. as Joe Milton III needs to keep the Mizzou defense honest. Expect the Volunteers to leave points on the field in this game.

Take the Missouri Tigers in what’s essentially a pick ‘em game. Go over, too.