Tennessee football: Vols, SEC and Top 25 predictions for Week 5 of 2018
Florida Gators at No. 23 Mississippi State Bulldogs
Saturday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. E.T.; Davis Wade Stadium; Starkville, Miss.
TV: ESPN; Line: Mississippi State -7; Over/Under: 50.5
Caleb Calhoun
After dominating Tennessee football, nobody is giving the Florida Gators love. They are ignoring the fact that the Mississippi State Bulldogs just got destroyed by the Kentucky Wildcats. This is a battle between the two teams who lost to the Kentucky Wildcats and one in which Dan Mullen visits his former team. There’s lots of interesting storylines here.
It is fair to believe last week’s game was more of the Vols being bad than Florida being good. But I still have a hard time betting on that seven-point spread in Starkville, especially when Mullen knows his former team so well. That’s why I’ve got my money on the Gators to win Saturday. The offense will show back up for both teams, so take the over. But Florida pulls it out.
Florida: 31 Mississippi State: 24 (Florida +7; Over 50.5)
Garrett Sanders
No one knows Mississippi State better than Dan Mullen. He should be able to break down this team better than any coach could. It will undoubtedly be an emotional game for Mullen coming back to coachn his former team.
Both of these teams have talent. However, this game will come down to who has the best defense. The Gators have a stout defensive line who get in the backfield. Mississippi State also has a pretty decent defensive group as well. However, when it comes to game planning these offenses and how to stop them, Mullen has the edge in this one. I fully expect Florida to exploit that and come out with a massive win in Starkville.
Florida: 24 Mississippi State: 13 (Florida +7; Under 50.5)
Billy Williford
Dan Mullen will be on the wrong side of the cowbells as he heads back to Mississippi to take on his beloved Bulldogs. This should get interesting. How is the crowd going to act? I’m going to guess no pleasant.
Florida is coming off a huge 47-21 win against Tennessee, while Mississippi State dropped a game to the Kentucky Wildcats 28-7. That’s not a misprint; the Wildcats held Mississippi State’s high-powered offense to only seven points.
This one is another one that will be hard to predict. However, the Bulldogs are at home and coming off a loss. The 7.5 points seems like a steal.
Mississippi State: 27 Florida: 17 (Mississippi State -7.5; Under 50.5)