College football betting fans will be looking forward for something more than just a football treat this week when the Missouri Tigers (4-5), who will be stepping on the tuff all suited up in their newly unveiled uniform, take on the BYU Cougars (7-2) this Saturday. We aren’t believers in voodoo and all, but word all over Missouri is that the new uniforms could be the good luck charm or secret weapon needed to help the Tigers put an end to their four-game losing streak. On the flipside, the Cougars are all charged up to ensure their five-game winning streak remains intact. Which side are you riding on? For us, it’s all about giving you NCAA Football betting fans a preview and hoping you can make a savvy choice in this week’s online betting lines.
How To Bet the Cougars @ Tigers NCAA Football Odds & Game Info
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2015
Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV: SEC Network
GAME TOMORROW 6:30pm CT SEC Network https://t.co/X0U59UwPBH KSL 1160AM/102.7FM SiriusXM 143 #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/2eGmectYgD
— BYU Football (@BYUfootball) November 14, 2015
Betting on BYU
The Cougars endured a tough game on the road to narrowly beat the Spartans 17-16 last week. The key to winning that game was that the Cougars started brightly and then managed to suck away the pressure in the second and third quarters, before closing out strongly as well. A similar performance will be required if they are to stop the highly defensive Missouri Tigers team.
For this encounter, their onslaught will be led by Tanner Mangum, who has completed 63.5 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions since replacing the team’s injured starting QB at the start of the season. Their rushing game is handled by Algernon Brown, who has 490 yards and eight touchdowns, while Mitch Mathews tops the receivers with 40 catches and nine touchdowns.
It will not be easy to face the mean Missouri defense that is allowing 14.6 points and 298.6 yards per game, and has collected eight interceptions, five fumble recoveries, and 26 sacks. Still, with the Cougars offense impressively averaging 32.3 points and 440.9 yards per game, and having stood the test of time against other solid defensive units this season, there’s a lot of hope that BYU will be able to rise to the occasion once again.
Plus, the Cougars defense has been just as impressive, allowing 22.7 points and 349.2 yards per game to go along with 11 interceptions, four fumble recoveries, and 30 sacks. This defense that is led by Michael Wadsworth (58 tackles) Kai Nacua (four interceptions) and Bronson Kaufusi (6.0 sacks) should thus be able to offer BYU’s offense some much-needed support and cover, thus giving the Cougars a chance to stand tall in the end.
Betting on Missouri
The Tigers were recently mauled by the Bulldogs 31-13 in a game that both the offense and defense failed to do their job. The Tigers started weakly, but seemed to have recovered in the second quarter to move within one point of Mississippi State. The third quarter, however, proved to be where the cookie crumbled, as the Bulldogs ran away with the game, a trend that continued in the fourth quarter, with Missouri failing to offer anything on both sides of line of scrimmage.
The lethargic offensive showing from that game is something that has bugged the Tigers offense throughout the season, evidenced by their pathetic total of 25 points scored in their last four games, which have led to four straight loses. On the season, their numbers aren’t any better, as they are averaging 14.7 points and 282.6 yards per game. This toothless onslaught is led by QB Drew Lock, who has completed 49.4 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and five interceptions. The rushing game is led by Ish Witter with 423 yards, while the receiving game is in the hands of J’Mon Moore (23 receptions) and Nate Brown (20 catches and four touchdowns). But as earlier mentioned, things are much better defensively, where they are led by Kentrell Brothers (117 tackles), Michael Scherer (67 tackles), with Charles Harris and Walter Brady both having seven sacks.
Evidently, Missouri’s offense is the weakest link here, so a huge improvement is required from them this week if their new uniforms are to coincide with a winning performance. That, however, is easier said than done, as BYU’s defense that restricted its last two opponents to just 23 total points. Meanwhile, Missouri’s defense will equally be facing a mountain, facing a Cougars attacking unit that has scored 125 points in its games. Just about the only hope here is that the Cougars weren’t as hard-hitting in their last outing, scoring just 17 points against San Jose on the road, so Mizzou could be able to keep them contained similarly in Missouri.
BYU @ Missouri Key Betting Trends
• Missouri is 6-0 against the spread following a double-digit home loss
• BYU is 10-4-1 against the spread against a team with a losing record
• Missouri is 2-7 against the spread in their last nine games
• BYU is 0-4 against the spread against the SEC.
• Missouri is 14-4 against the spread following a loss
• BYU is 4-0 against the spread following a game they didn’t cover the point spread
BYU @ Missouri NCAAF Betting Predictions
This games looks like it will be both very physical and tough, considering Missouri’s tough defense and BYU’s unrelenting offense. However, BYU looks to a superior statistical advantage against Missouri, so playing in Kansas City won’t offer Missouri that much of an advantage. A win plus cover by BYU is therefore our prediction, but Missouri should be able to keep things very tight, ensuring that the total stays low for an UNDER.
