The Army Black Knights (8-4) will square off with the Missouri Tigers (6-6) for the first time in 39 years in Fort Worth at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. Army took the 17-13 loss in upset fashion against Navy in their annual rivalry game on December 11, while Missouri has not played since November 26, when they ended their season with a 34-17 loss at Arkansas. Missouri finished just 3-5 in SEC play but showed some potential for a strong 2022, while Army rode that triple option offense to another solid campaign.
If you are considering this game for part of your college football betting this week, take a look at our prediction.
NCAAF Preview: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl : Army vs Missouri
When: Wednesday, December 22, 2021, 8:00 pm ET
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
TV: ESPN
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Hulu
NCAAF Odds: Army -6.5 / O/U 54.5 // Missouri +190 / Army -230
Why should you bet on the Black Knights?
Missouri has a difficult time stopping the run, which could play right into Army’s hands. On the season, Missouri has permitted 229.3 yards per game on the ground, and the Tigers ranked dead last in the SEC in rushing defense. On the season, Army ran for 286.9 yards per game, second in the nation behind Air Force (also a triple-option offense), and their scheme relies on depth rather than individual stardom. Tyrell Robinson led the Black Knights this season in rushing – but he only ran for 603 yards. Senior quarterback Christian Anderson is right behind him with 592 yards, but the team likes to finish drives with Jakobi Buchanan, who pounded the ball into the end zone 11 times this season.
This line opened at Army -4 and has widened in the past few days given the news about Missouri’s top tailback and starting quarterback. Missouri has not had a bowl win in seven years, and that drought does not seem likely to end in this game. I would take advantage of this point spread before it gets beyond seven points, because while Army is likely to wear down the Missouri defense and control the line of scrimmage, the fact that Army moves so deliberately in their offense makes a blowout unlikely.
Why should you put your money on the Tigers?
Army is traditionally associated with a dominant running game, but Missouri can do much the same sort of damage. Senior running back Tyler Badie was tops in the SEC with 1,604 rushing yards, averaging 133.7 yards per game. He will not play in the bowl game, though, as he has opted out for the NFL draft. Dawson Downing, Elijah Young and Michael Cox will be carrying the ball instead, behind a solid O-line.
The Tigers will also have a different starting quarterback in Fort Worth. Connor Bazelak struggled in the regular season finale, as the Arkansas defense limited him to just 10 of 26 passing for 65 yards and a pick. Freshman Brady Cook gets the nod, as head coach Elijah Drinkwitz hopes that the change will jump-start the offense. Cook went 19 of 24 for 107 yards and a touchdown in limited action during the regular season. The Tigers have had almost a month to get Cook more integrated into the first-team offense, so the hope is that he can find receivers down the field and stretch the Army defense, which is ranked 15th in the nation. A lot of that has to do with the fact that Army’s offense holds the ball for so long; in terms of average yards permitted per play, Army ranks just 81st (5.74). Missouri could take advantage in the passing game.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
I like Army to control the rhythm and grind down the Missouri defense over the course of the game, rolling to a 23-16 win.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl : Army vs Missouri Bet the Game Today
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