{"id":2015,"date":"2021-12-28T08:51:57","date_gmt":"2021-12-28T13:51:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/?p=2015"},"modified":"2021-12-28T09:35:47","modified_gmt":"2021-12-28T14:35:47","slug":"liberty-bowl-picks-and-predictions-texas-tech-vs-mississippi-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wagertalk.com\/news\/college-football\/liberty-bowl-picks-and-predictions-texas-tech-vs-mississippi-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberty Bowl Picks and Predictions | Texas Tech vs Mississippi State"},"content":{"rendered":"

Liberty Bowl Betting Preview<\/h2>\n

GoldSheet offers their Liberty Bowl betting preview between Texas Tech and Mississippi State on Tuesday, December 28. At the time of posting, the Bulldogs from the SEC have climbed to a 10-point favorite over the Red Raiders from the Big XII, with the total at 58.5 points.<\/p>\n

Stay on top of the latest College Football<\/a> updates direct from Las Vegas!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Liberty Bowl<\/th>\nBetting Notes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Point Spread:<\/td>\nMississippi State Bulldogs -10 vs Texas Tech Red Raiders<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total:<\/td>\n58.5 Points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Game Time:<\/td>\n6:45pm ET \/ 3:45pm PT on Tuesday, December 28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stadium:<\/td>\nMemorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TV:<\/td>\nESPN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Liberty Bowl Predictions<\/h2>\n

This matchup might have been more interesting a decade ago, when it was not long after Mike Leach was forced out at Texas Tech under controversial circumstances. Most have likely forgotten…though, from what we gather, Leach hasn\u2019t. And that creates an interesting dimension to the handicap of the Liberty Bowl in front of the pro-MSU crowd that would like to see the Bulldogs run up a score no matter the foe.<\/p>\n

As a historical footnote regarding Texas Tech, the last two times the Red Raiders played in a bowl with an interim coach, they have won–after Leach\u2019s ouster in 2009, under Ruffin McNeill, beating Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl, then with Chris Thomsen in Sen. Tommy Tuberville\u2019s wake at the 2012 Car Care Bowl over Minnesota.<\/p>\n

The difference in this year\u2019s disjointed campaign in Lubbock is that the coaching switch happened midseason, when Matt Wells was dismissed in late October and OC Sonny Cumbie promoted in the interim, after which Tech went only 1-3 SU, though the win was a doozy against Iowa State.<\/p>\n

Cumbie has parlayed this audition into a new upcoming head coaching gig at La Tech, which begins after this game, with Baylor aide Joey McGuire moving in thereafter at Lubbock. Got all of that?<\/p>\n

\"Liberty<\/a><\/p>\n

As the poster child for a program in transition, the Red Raiders would seem to have some other obstacles to overcome here. Tech ran through QBs like drinking water this season, starting three of them thanks mostly to Oregon transfer Tyler Shough breaking a collarbone in September. By the end of the season, frosh Donovan Smith was able to provide an occasional spark, and did pass for 322 yards and 3 TDs in the upset of the Cyclones, but had a deer-in-the-headlights look the next week vs. Oklahoma State when completing only 9 of 29 for a mere 83 yards.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Leach\u2019s MSU seemed to figure out a lot by the end of the season when it put together a five-game spread cover streak before a tough Egg Bowl loss vs. 8th-ranked Ole Miss. While Leach\u2019s offense grabs the headlines, it was the D, under coordinator Zach Arnett, a Rocky Long disciple who uses many of the same unorthodox 3-3-5 looks as his mentor, advancing his platoon to a 21st ranking in overall D, that had as much as anything to do with the late-season surge.<\/p>\n

Of course, anyone who follows the SEC knows of QB Will Rogers, who was risking Tommy John surgery early in the season when throwing 60 or more passes per game before Leach begrudgingly began to balance the offense (somewhat…the Bulldogs still ran dead last in national rush stats), though in truth many of the Rogers dinks take the pace of runs. Rogers also completed a staggering 75% of his throws for 4449 yards and 35 TDs…not quite Bailey Zappe-like stuff, but probably more than the Red Raiders can handle. Especially if Leach (who hasn\u2019t covered in his last five bowls at Washington State and last year with MSU, by the way) still has some animosity toward Tech after that messy divorce 12 years ago.<\/p>\n

Interested in placing a bet on this evening’s Liberty Bowl? BetMGM is offering a $1,000 Risk-Free Bet<\/a> for first-time bettors in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Tennessee, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Washington DC, Wyoming, Mississippi, Arizona and Louisiana.<\/em><\/p>\n

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