By Greg Dempson
Tennessee Volunteers –7 at Missouri Tigers, 7:15 ET
With last week’s straight up double-digit dog win on the Washington State Cougars, my College football record improves to 8–2 ATS at Every Edge. Onto this Saturday’s Game of the Week.
The final home game of the season for the Tigers will also be the final home game for head coach Gary Pinkel who announced his retirement last Friday, stating he would step down at the end of the season as he’s battling lymphoma. Pinkel has coached Missouri for more than 15 years. It is also homecoming with the senior class accounting for 33 Tigers wins. Earlier in the week school president Tim Wolfe resigned under pressure from the student body amid criticism of how he handled race issues.
The issues for the 5–5 Tigers hasn’t been their defense as they are ranked fifth in the nation in scoring defense limiting opponents to an average of 14.7 points per game while allowing a meager 17 touchdowns, which ties them for the fourth fewest nationally, and in elite company with three top 10 teams, Ohio State, Alabama and Florida. Offense has been their biggest problem as they average only 15.2 PPG on the season with a very slight improvement of 16.2 when playing at home.
The Volunteers are hot right now and they’ve won three in a row as well as four of their last five. Tennessee has not won four consecutive games since the 2010 season. This match-up features the SEC’s #3 scoring offense vs. the SEC’s #2 scoring defense. Tennessee also bring along their #2 ground game vs. The SEC’s third best run defense.
Keys to the Game
· The Vols are exceptional in specials teams play and Evan Berry has three kick-off returns for touchdowns plus he leads the nation in punt return average at 40.6 yards per return plus Tennessee has also returned two punts for touchdowns. With the limited scoring ability of Missouri’s offense they will have to contain Evans.
· With the recent events of the past 10 days the emotional edge definitely goes to the Tigers plus I make this line ranging from a minimum of – 3 for the visit to a maximum of –5 and the host is currently getting +7.
· The Tigers need one more win to be bowl eligible and this is their best chance of securing that six victory as next week they travel to Arkansas to play the Razorbacks and they’ll be 12 point road dogs in that contest.
Best Odds All The Time – Bet at Pinnacle Sports
View From the 50 Yard Line
· Missouri’s defense is holding opponents to 81 yards per game below their season average.
· The Volunteers have won only one SEC game by more than 7 points.
· Missouri is 9–1 straight up in their last home game of the season.
· When facing teams that average 17 or less points per game Tennessee is 09–21 ATS and -14.10-units.
· The Tigers are 9 – 1 ATS in the month of November.
· When head coach Jones’ team is favored by 3.5 to 10 points Tennessee’s margin of victory is 6 points per game.
· Missouri joined the SEC in the 2012 season and have played the Volunteers three times in that span winning all three contests straight up.
College Football Pick
My Every Edge College football game of the Week is on the Missouri Tigers at +7 or better.
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