Mississippi State vs. Bowling Green: Game Preview, Odds, How to Bet

Mississippi State football looks to get back to the right side of the win column as it faces Bowling Green on Saturday.

Mississippi State (2-1) dropped its most recent matchup to LSU and will aim to bounce back as it faces a non-conference opponent in the Bowling Green Falcons.

The Bulldogs open as heavy 30.5-point favorites over their visiting opponent in what is expected to be an easy win for the Bulldogs, though head coach Mike Leach doesn't see games like this that way, consistently speaking to never playing down to any opponent. The over/under is set at 52 points.

The Skinny: One of the most key things Leach has preached to this team is consistency and playing a complete game. Though there was some sputtering, the Bulldogs seemed lightyears ahead in terms of playing steady on both sides of the ball and the offense looked more in sync than ever in the first two games of the season. That wasn't the case in the loss to LSU as the defense allowed some explosive plays to dual-threat quarterback Jayden Daniels and had missed opportunities on offense couples with special teams follies.

This is a good chance for the team to get right against a Bowling Green squad that enters the contest with an overall record of 1-2, winning its most recent game against the Marshall Thundering Herd, 34-31 in overtime action. Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett has shown respect for what the Falcons bring to the table offensively with "every formation in the book" and the athleticism of quarterback Matt McDonald, who leads the team in rushing with 77 yards on the ground in three games and has given defenses trouble through the air. But the real kicker here that swings this one way in State's favor in addition to the talent gap is the shaky Bowling Green passing defense, which allows an average of 345 passing yards per game -- the second-worst among FBS teams.

Covering the spread: This should be a solid opportunity for an offense that has lit up the scoreboard on several occasions to do so once more against an opposing defense that is simply outmatched and hasn't found much success against the run or the pass. Bowling Green will find a way to put some points up, but Leach's Air Raid attack will explode once again on Saturday in Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs cover the spread here.

To take the over or the under: The Falcons have scored a combined 108 points three games into the season, crossing 50 points on two separate occasions. Their lowest total of points scored over that time period was 17 points against UCLA. Considering this will be the toughest defense the team has faced all season, coupled with just how hot MSU's passing game can get in addition to some for the success the team has had on the ground while running the ball more this year, it's easy to see a scenario is which this becomes a blowout while the Falcons still manage a couple of scores. Take the over.

Bottom line: MSU has a chance to make some much-needed tweaks here and will do so against a subpar defense and an offense that won't fully be able to make up for its mistakes as it faces a stout Bulldogs defensive unit. MSU defeats Bowling Green, 52-17.