Mississippi State at Tennessee Prediction: Can the Bulldogs Overcome the Odds?

Mississippi State football faces a steep challenge as a 24.5-point underdog against No. 7 Tennessee. Check out game odds, preview, and prediction.

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) reacts with fans after a game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Mississippi State football is facing familiar odds ahead of its Saturday night game against No. 7 Tennessee.

As of Friday night, the Bulldogs (2-7, 0-5 SEC) are 24.5-point underdogs against the Volunteers (7-1 4-1 SEC). That’s nothing new to the Bulldogs who have been the underdogs in all but three games this season (Eastern Kentucky, Toledo and UMass).

ESPN’s matchup predictor doesn’t give Mississippi State much of a chance at winning at Neyland Stadium. The Volunteers have a 93.9 percent chance of winning, leaving just a 6.1 percent chance for Mississippi State to win.

Again none of that is surprising and, for readers familiar with this space, neither is what comes next.

Anything can happen.

The term “all bets are off” doesn’t translate well into today’s world with in-game prop bets being legal and popular. So, it’s better to say that anything can happen once the game begins.

That was true for UMass last week (who had a 10-0 lead after the first quarter) and it’s true for Mississippi State this week.

The Bulldogs could beat the Volunteers, who were the No. 7 team in the College Football Playoff committee’s initial rankings. Maybe Tennessee falls victim to the stereotypical trap game looking past the Bulldogs and ahead to next week’s game against No. 3 Georgia.

Perhaps Michael Van Buren plays great with no turnovers and multiple rushing and passing touchdowns. Perhaps the Mississippi State defense finds a way to pressure another freshman quarterback into mistakes. Perhaps the defense finds a way to overcome the size advantage Tennessee’s offensive line has.

To be blunt, that’s too many “perhaps” and “maybes” to predict Mississippi State to upset the Volunteers. Sure, it can happen. But betting on the Bulldogs isn’t what sports gambling experts call a smart bet.

The 𝘿𝘼𝙒𝙂𝙎 Come Out at Night#HailState | @StDomHospital pic.twitter.com/tKJKQHsZZf

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 8, 2024

Mississippi State at No. 7 Tennessee Game Prediction

Tennessee 51, Mississippi State 20

• Bonus Prediction: The Volunteers will run for more than 300 yards.

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