Since the Liberty Bowl debuted in 1959, no team has been a participant more than Arkansas, which has competed in the contest five times. Ole Miss is the leader in victories, as it has won all four of its appearances. The Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-5) will tie one mark and attempt to match the other when they square off against the Texas Tech Red Raiders (6-6) on Tuesday in the 2021 Liberty Bowl. Mississippi State last appeared in the game in 2013, when it rolled to a 44-7 win over Rice.
Kickoff at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tenn., is set for 6:45 p.m. ET as Mississippi State coach Mike Leach takes on the program he coached from 2000-09. The Bulldogs are 10-point favorites in the latest Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 57.5. Before making any Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State picks or Liberty Bowl 2021 predictions, be sure to check out the betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters the third week of the 2021-22 college football bowl season on a 43-30 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State and locked in its Liberty Bowl 2021 picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college football odds and betting trends for Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech:
- Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech spread: Bulldogs -10
- Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech over-under: 57.5 points
- Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech money line: Bulldogs -400, Red Raiders +310
- MSU: The Bulldogs are 5-1 against the spread in their last six overall contests
- TT: The Red Raiders are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 bowl games
Why Mississippi State can cover
Leach's "Air Raid" offense has helped make Will Rogers one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the nation, as he ranks first in completion percentage (75.1 percent) and is tied for second in passing yards (4,449). The sophomore also is tied for ninth with 35 touchdown passes, 16 of which have come in his last four games. Rogers has reached the 300-yard mark in 11 of his 12 outings this year and enters Tuesday with a 10-game streak, the third-longest in the country since 2004.
The Bulldogs have three receivers with over 500 yards for the first time in school history, as redshirt sophomore Makai Polk has amassed 989 while sophomore Jaden Walley has registered 610 and redshirt senior Austin Williams 543. Polk is one of 10 players in Bulldogs history to surpass 900 yards in a season and needs 47 on Tuesday to break Mardye McDole's program record set in 1978. He has made 98 catches, breaking the previous school record of 88 set in 2015 by Fred Ross, and has posted four 100-yard performances to tie Ross' single-season and career marks.
Why Texas Tech can cover
With the exception of a shutout loss against then-No. 9 Oklahoma State on Nov. 20, the Red Raiders have excelled offensively, scoring at least 21 points in each of their games this season. They eclipsed the 40- point mark on three occasions, topping out at 54 in a victory over Florida International in September. Texas Tech's ground attack has accounted for the majority of the team's scoring, producing 27 touchdowns against 17 through the air.
Junior SaRodorick Thompson leads the Red Raiders with nine rushing TDs and sophomore Tahj Brooks has recorded six as nine different players have run into the end zone this year. Brooks, who tops the squad with 461 yards on the ground, has scored in two of his last three contests. Top receiver Erik Ezukanma is skipping the Liberty Bowl in order to prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft, but senior tight end Travis Koontz is coming off a performance in the regular-season finale on Nov. 27 in which he made five catches for 117 yards and his team high-tying fourth touchdown in a 27-24 loss to then-No. 8 Baylor.
How to make Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 57 points. It also says one side of the spread hits over 60 percent of the time. You can only get the model's Liberty Bowl picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl 2021? And which side of the spread hits over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the computer model that is up almost $3,600 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
