College Football Odds: SEC Week 8 picks against the spread
Oct 17, 2015; Athens, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Drew Lock (3) passes against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half at Sanford Stadium. Georgia defeated Missouri 9-6. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
- Date: Saturday October 24, 2015
- Time: 4PM Eastern
- Location: Nashville, TN
- TV Channel: SEC Network
- Spread: Missouri -3
- Over/Under Total: 35
Two of the SEC’s best defenses and two of the league’s worst offenses meet in Nashville in what could be a very ugly game. I’d say that the first team to double digits would win, but that might not even be necessary – after all, Georgia beat Missouri 9-6 last weekend.
With the loss to the Bulldogs (with perhaps the worst in a series of dreadful performances for the Tigers on offense – 164 total yards and six first downs), Mizzou has now dropped three of its last four games, and with a tough remaining schedule that includes a Thursday night game with Mississippi State, a neutral site matchup with BYU and difficult to predict matchups with Tennessee and Arkansas, the Tigers cannot afford a misstep Saturday if they have any thoughts of making it to a bowl game this season.
Vanderbilt lost what appeared to be its best shot at a victory over an SEC opponent last week 19-10 to South Carolina in Columbia. However, the Commodores are only a 2.5-point underdog against Missouri and shouldn’t have much trouble containing the Tigers’ offense. But, can Vandy score enough on a Mizzou defense that has allowed just 12.9 points (which is the best in the SEC and ranks No. 6 nationally) and 277.6 total yards per game (second in the league to Alabama and No. 8 in the country) this season?
Quarterback Johnny McCrary (1,428 passing yards, 6 TD, 10 INT) and running back Ralph Webb (495 rushing yards, 3 TD) give the Commodores a decent shot at moving the football, but as a whole, Vanderbilt has been too inconsistent on offense to provide much of a threat. Expect Missouri to do enough to win, and if the Tigers can get better than average performances from true freshman quarterback Drew Lock and running back Russell Hansbrough, Missouri might be able to score more than 24 points for the first time since Sept. 12.
Next: WKU at LSU