Tennessee football: SEC and top 25 picks and gambling bets for Week 1 of 2021
![Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view of Neyland Stadium during the fourth quarter of the game between the Florida Gators and the Tennessee Volunteers. Florida won 47 to 21. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports Sep 22, 2018; Knoxville, TN, USA; General view of Neyland Stadium during the fourth quarter of the game between the Florida Gators and the Tennessee Volunteers. Florida won 47 to 21. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/5a261fa7727037f13de031490b0ed03c8e97d9cc15da121c9ce200edb9eb46e0.jpg)
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at Mississippi State Bulldogs (ESPNU)
Saturday, Sept. 4 at 4 p.m. ET; Davis Wade Stadium; Starkville, Miss.
Line: Mississippi State -23; Over/Under: 52.5
Moneyline: Mississippi State -1950; Louisiana Tech +1075
If any team will provide entertainment this year in the SEC, it will once again be the Mississippi State Bulldogs. This program has the head coach Tennessee football should have hired in Mike Leach, and while he went 4-7 last year in all-SEC play, he already showed his ability to put up points and make everything entertaining.
Leach’s offense usually take three to four years to take off, but he’s usually pretty good in his second year, and given the transfer portal this year, he was able to establish his own personnel more than usual. This will be a great chance for him to put that development on display.
Entering their ninth season under Skip Holtz, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are a solid program. Former Tennessee football head coach Derek Dooley did lay seeds of success there before moving to Rocky Top and failing, and he deserves credit for that. With Dooley, LT upset Mississippi State to open the 2008 season. Could they do it again?
Prediction
Honestly, Leach games are the most unpredictable games in college football. However, you have to think the over/under is too low given his offense. On top of that, Louisiana Tech has no pass rush, so Leach’s air raid will take off. Add in the fact that MSU has a defense, and they will cover while this game hits the over. This will be a bloodbath.
Mississippi State: 55 Louisiana Tech: 21 (Mississippi State -23; Over 52.5)