Tennessee football: Vols, SEC and top 25 predictions for Week 1 of 2019
Missouri Tigers at Wyoming Cowboys
TV: CBSSN; Line: Missouri -18; Over/Under: 54
Saturday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m.; War Memorial Stadium; Laramie, Wyo.
If the South Carolina Gamecocks are the current measuring stick for Tennessee football, the Missouri Tigers, with former Vols head coach Derek Dooley, are the program they could top to vault to the next level under Jeremy Pruitt. Right now, nobody knows what to make of Mizzou.
This team lost Drew Lock, and they are on a current bowl ban. But Kelly Bryant has arrived to replace Lock. They have a ton of offensive weapons back. And their bowl ban could be lifted. What that all means for them in the opener against the Wyoming Cowboys remains up in the air, but they do have some talent.
Meanwhile, the Wyoming Cowboys have turned into a very solid program under Craig Bohl. While they technically have to replace a ton of talent this year, they have plenty of elite players back. And they also return most of their offensive line, which is the area Bohl has his biggest focus. Playing this game in Wyoming also gives them an advantage.
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Prediction
Missouri’s distractions, playing this game in Wyoming and the Cowboys’ areas of returning talent in relation to Bohl’s system will make this a game. Wyoming has a depth issue, but that won’t matter in the opener. Missouri wins, but it will be an ugly win as Bryant has to get familiar with the team while on the road. So don’t take them on the spread. But do take the over.