Public betting splits and line movement for Armed Forces Bowl: Tulsa vs. Mississippi State

In an unforgettable college football season, we will get to see a well-under .500 SEC team in the Mississippi State Bulldogs take on the AAC runner-ups in the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes in the Armed Forces Bowl at 12:00 p.m. ET in Fort Worth, TX.

The Bulldogs (3-7) are coming into the postseason off of a 51-32 victory over the Missouri Tigers on December 19. It was much-needed win for the Bulldogs program who lost three-straight games prior to that contest and has overall struggled to compete in Mike Leach’s first year.

As for the No. 24-ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricanes (6-2), they suffered a heart-breaking 27-24 loss to Cincinnati Bearcats in the American Athletic Conference title game. Unlike Mississippi State, Tulsa won six consecutive games to get into the AAC championship game. Over that period of time, the Golden Hurricanes outscored their opponents 187-123.

So where are sports bettors going as we get closer to game time? Let’s take a look. All odds and info were provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Point Spread

Tulsa is favored by one point heading into the Armed Forces Bowl, essentially making this a pick’em between both squads. However, the Golden Hurricanes are receiving 65% of the bets and 64% of the handle.

Is the public right?

Yes, the public is correct when it comes to this particular matchup. The Bulldogs have been an absolute dump fire in Mike Leach’s first year. The quarterback play has been inconsistent and they don’t have their best offensive playmaker in running back Kylin Hill. Meanwhile Tulsa has a stout defense that only concedes 20.8 points per game. And they can put up points on the points, averaging 27.3 per game.

Over/Under

The point total for Thursday’s bowl game is set at 44.5. As of now, 78% of the bets and 49% of the handle are siding with the over.

Is the public right?

The public is right once again! As previously mentioned, the Golden Hurricanes can score in bunches and can pickup yards both through the air and ground. The Bulldogs, despite their struggles, can score too as we know what Leach’s Air Raid offense can do. But be aware the weather might play a factor in this one with rainy conditions and 14 mph winds. And Tulsa is without standout linebacker Zaven Collins, who opted out to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Moneyline

The Golden Hurricanes have moneyline odds of -117, with the Bulldogs’ odds coming in at -105. Of the moneyline bets placed for this game, Tulsa is surprisingly only seeing 40% of the bets and 52% of the handle.

Is the public right?

We honestly don’t know what Bulldogs team will see out on the football field. Will they be motivated play today? No one knows. But what he do know is that Tulsa will be looking to show that they can hang with and defeat a Power 5 school.

Armed Forces Bowl: Tulsa vs. Mississippi State

Opening line: Tulsa -2
Current line: Tulsa -1

It’s moving towards MSU, but their motivation is still an issue. We’ll fade the the late cash here and ride with the Golden Hurricane.

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