How and what to watch for Missouri vs. Tennessee

The Tennessee Volunteers check in at No. 21 in the latest AP Top 25 rankings, and are set to host the Missouri Tigers on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Tennessee is coming off a 31-27 road win over the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Volunteers trailed 7-0 early but were never behind after scoring. Tennessee quarterback Jarrett Guarantano completed 19 of 31 passes for 259 yards and one touchdown and an interception. He also ran for a score. Wide receiver Josh Palmer was the top pass catcher, leading Tennessee with six receptions for 85 yards and one touchdown.

Missouri was outmatched against the Alabama Crimson Tide to open its season with a 38-19 home loss on Saturday. Eli Drinkwitz will have his work cut out for him in his first season as an SEC head coach. Missouri trailed 35-6 before scoring touchdowns on its final two drives of the game. Two quarterbacks saw time for Missouri. Shawn Robinson completed 19 of 25 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown. Connor Bazelak finished 7-for-14 with 68 yards passing.

Tennessee won the last meeting between these two teams 24-20 last season in Columbia, Missouri.

Game Time/TV Channel/Streaming

Saturday’s game will start at noon ET at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. This game will appear on SEC Network.

Point Spread, Totals, Odds, Trends

Point spread: Missouri (+10.5) vs. Tennessee
Point Total: O/U 48.5 (-110)
Money line: Missouri (+340), Tennessee (-455)

• Missouri is 1-7 against the spread in its last eight games.
• The total went under in six of Missouri’s last seven games.
• Tennessee is 6-2-1 against the spread in its last nine games.
• The total went under in five of Tennessee’s last six games.

The Best Bet

Tennessee and Missouri had fairly opposite seasons in 2019. The Volunteers won their last six games, while the Tigers lost five of their last six. Tennessee is developing a winning culture, while Missouri is looking for a new start with Drinkwitz. The 10.5-point spread is a bit high for Tennessee, but this definitely has the making of a battle of the defenses. Let’s get after the under.

Pick: Under 48.5

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