The winningest head coach in Texas Tech history, Mike Leach, faces his former team when his Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-5) take the field in Memphis for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Tuesday night. Leach still has a $2.5 million lawsuit pending against his former employer because of the way Texas Tech handled his firing back in 2009, so Leach should come in with plenty of motivation to plan to win. He has already said in a press conference, “You know they still owe me for 2009, the last time they won nine games.” Of course, the Red Raiders (6-6) might also have some motivation to try and shut Leach’s mouth.
Don’t miss our sports betting preview of this matchup between middle-tier Big 12 and SEC teams.
NCAAF Preview: AutoZone Liberty Bowl Preview (Tuesday, December 28)
Mississippi State vs Texas Tech
When: Tuesday, December 28, 2021, 6:45 pm ET
Where: Liberty Bowl, Memphis
TV: ESPN
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Hulu
NCAAF Odds: Mississippi State -9.5 / O/U 58.5 // Texas Tech +280 / Mississippi State -350
Why should you bet on the Bulldogs?
Mississippi State is the latest program to run Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense, and quarterback Will Rogers has been terrific this season. He has completed 75.1 percent of his passes, throwing for 4,449 yards and 35 touchdowns against only eight interceptions. The fact that he was playing in the SEC shadow of Bryce Young and Matt Corral kept him from getting much Heisman consideration, which could turn into a chip on his shoulder for this game. The Bulldogs are third in the nation in passing offense (385.5 yards per game), whie Texas Tech gives up 266.4 yards per game through the air, good for 117th among FBS programs, so this could be a long day for the Red Raiders.
If the Bulldogs do have trouble with any Tech defenders, those would likely start with linebacker Colin Schooler, who is just two solo tackles away from the top five among all NCAA defenders in FBS programs. He has 307 solo tackles in his career, sixth overall. This is not a Tech team with much bowl experience, as only two players on the roster have ever been to a postseason game. If you like Mississippi State, you see the Bulldogs mirroring Leach’s motivation – and taking advantage of a dreadful Tech secondary.
Why should you put your money on the Red Raiders?
Texas Tech barely made it into bowl eligibility as they dropped four of their last five regular season games. Quarterback Donovan Smith has still played well; in his last four contests, he has gone a combined 66 of 106 for 869 yards and six scores. His best receiver, Erik Ezukanman, though, has opted out for this game, and Loic Fouonji and Myles Price are also questionable, leaving the wide receiver corps here bare. Tight end Travis Koontz is also questionable, which could limit Smith’s open targets. Trey Cleveland and Jerand Bradley are the top two receivers left on the depth chart.
Smith is Tech’s third quarterback this season. Tyler Shough went down four games in, and then Henry Colombi took over the offense. When head coach Matt Wells was fired mid-season, then Colombi gave way to Smith. The Red Raider coaching staff is in the middle of transition, as five staffers will leave right after the bowl game. This sort of situation has led to bowl game problems for teams, as the coaches are distracted while preparing, and the players’ motivation levels tend to suffer when their leadership is on the way out.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
There are many scenarios when underdogs take upsets in bowl games. This is not one of those times, though. Mississippi State has more talent, stability in the coaching staff, and a head coach that is highly engaged in the planning process. Expect things to turn into a track meet in a hurry. I predict a final score of Mississippi State 44, Texas Tech 24.
AutoZone Liberty Bowl : Mississippi State vs Texas Tech Bet the Game Today
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