With a chance to win a bowl game and secure eight wins under a first-year head coach since Bill Battle in 1970 (although Phillip Fulmer could partially count at 4-0 in 1992), Tennessee football will face the Purdue Boilermakers to close out the 2021 season in the Music City Bowl. The Vols will be looking to end a crazy year with a bang.
UT comes in at 7-5 under Josh Heupel. Nearly a year ago, they were on fire due to NCAA investigations that got Jeremy Pruitt fired and forced out Phillip Fulmer. That combined with a 3-7 year in 2020 and wave of transfers and decommitments kept expectations low for this program.
Obviously, they are in a dramatically different place now. However, Purdue comes in at 8-4 under Jeff Brohm with two upset wins over schools that were undefeated and in the top five at the time. A ninth win could secure them a top 25 finish. This is Tennessee football’s fifth straight bowl game against a Big Ten team.
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Purdue Boilermakers Music City Bowl odds
On the WynnBET Betting Music City Bowl odds, Tennessee is a 6-point favorite. The over/under is set at 64 with two offensive-minded coaches, and the moneyline is set at Tennessee -215 and Purdue +175. This line has moved in UT’s favor by a point and a half over the past week and a half, largely due to key Purdue opt-outs and absences that have been made known.
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Purdue Boilermakers prediction
This is only the second meeting between the Vols and the Boilermakers. They last met in the 1979 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston. It was another first bowl game for a UT head coach, this time by Johnny Majors, although he was in his third year at the time.
In that game, Purdue, which was 9-2 and ranked No. 12 under third-year head coach Jim Young, jumped out to a 21-0 lead. Rocky Top then made a furious comeback, scoring 22 unanswered, but Purdue then had a late touchdown to win 27-22 and finish the year in the top 10.
That’s now how this game is going to play out. You could already favor the Vols given the fact that they are playing this game in Nashville and that they have won their last four bowl games and their last five against Big Ten teams.
However, Purdue’s absences make it more clear. Leading receiver David Bell and leading edge rusher George Karlaftis have both opted out. No. 2 receiver Milton Wright and No. 1 cornerback Dedrick Mackey are reportedly ineligible, according to Tom Dienhart of Gold and Black, the official Rivals site of Purdue. Left tackle Greg Long is doubtful.
Given the fact that Tennessee football’s only opt out is Alontae Taylor and the only other question is if Cade Mays is 100 percent, the Vols have every advantage. They’ll also cash in on the momentum of so many people deciding to come back next year.
It already made sense to pick them to cover, but now you should pick them in a blowout. This game will easily be Tennessee -6, and with them dictating the flow of the game, take the Over 64 as well. The score will look something like this: Tennessee 49 Purdue 27.
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