Miami (Ohio) at Mississippi State (12/26/2016)

Away:  Miami (Ohio) [8-4 ATS]
Home:  Mississippi State [5-7 ATS]

Game Time: 11:00 AM
Stadium: Tropicana Field

Featured Lines

Recent Meetings:
N/A

Team Leaders:

Miami (Ohio):
Passing: Gus Ragland (1274)
Rushing: Alonzo Smith (689)
Receiving: James Gardner (658)

Mississippi State:
Passing: Nick Fitzgerald (2281)
Rushing: Nick Fitzgerald (1243)
Receiving: Fred Ross (890)

This game is still 2 weeks away and 110 people have already taken the line off the Streak Survivor board by piling on MSU.  WTF?

MIAMI (OHIO)             +  14.5

I just cannot take Miami Ohio in this game, even with everyone and their mother on Miss St.

Miss State -14

Dogs are barking.

Like vue28149 said, what is the motivation for the Dogs?  I'll take 14+ with a motivated team anytime in a bowl game.  Worst case you get a backdoor cover.

REDHAWKS

The general consensus is that Missisippi St will not be up for this one and that very well could be correct. But you're still talking the SEC vs the MAC. Will the huge mismatch in talent over ride the motivational edge? I don't know. MAC is 0-4 SU and 2-2 ATS in bowls this year. I think Dan Mullen is happy to have this game to build on the momentum that his offense picked up in the second half of the season. Throw out the Bama game and the Bulldogs averaged 42 pts per game in the second half of the season. Missisippi St averages 5.6 yds per carry on the ground and when the Bulldog runners get to the second level you'll see the mismatch in speed. Expect some home runs on the ground for Miss. St. A scary stat for the  Redhawks is that they have given up an average of 3.4 sacks per game on the season. I look for the Bulldogs to be able to turn one of those into a score either through a turnover or a field position flip. Missisippi St will score with relative ease and Mullen will work on the offense for next season. Having said all that I can't take the Bulldogs laying more than 2 TD's but there is no way I can back Miami versus an SEC team even if it is a bad SEC team in a flat spot. I believe the over is the play in this one. If the Redhawks can put up at least 20 and this one should go over pretty easy. Over 58 GLTA!