The Mississippi State Bulldogs come into the season with a high ceiling after their 2020 outing. Finishing last in the SEC West in 2020 with an awful 4-7 record means they can only get better in 2021, hopefully. Mike Leach, a first-year head coach in 2020, can set his team on the right course in 2021. With the organization expecting more from its players and coaching staff, a winning season is paramount.
Expert NCAA Football Handicappers
The season didn’t end in an absolute failure for the Bulldogs in 2020. They were able to secure a bowl win against Tulsa. Their win in the Armed Forces Bowl made them one of the only teams with a losing record to win a bowl game. The question now is whether there’s a bet to be made on the Bulldogs. They aren’t a favorite in any categories, but there’s still money to be made on Mississippi State.
2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs Futures Betting Odds
Mississippi State Bulldogs National Championship Odds: +20000
Mississippi State Bulldogs Conference Champion Odds: +10000
Mississippi State Bulldogs Win Totals Odds: Over 6 (-113) vs. Under 6 (-113)
College Football Betting Lines
The Bulldogs regressed in 2020 compared to their 2019 season. In 2019, they finished the season with a 6-7 record, going 3-5 in the SEC. Even with a sub .500 record, the Bulldogs were invited to a bowl game. They played Louisville in the Music City Bowl, a game they lost, and their former head coach was fired. Based on the regression in 2020, their odds to make the playoffs have dropped significantly.
The best news is that they have a new head coach who has already won a bowl game. At this point, if the recruitment office did their job, the Bulldogs are in good shape heading into 2021. When looking back at their 2020 season, most of their losses were rather close games. The Bulldogs even had a shocking win against LSU in the first game of the season. This season they have a more favorable schedule, giving bettors the opportunity to take the over 6 win total.
2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs Offseason Grade: C+
Key Additions: (QB, Braedyn Locke), (OG, Lucas Taylor), (WR, Dakota Jordan), (DE, Donterry Russell)
Key Departures: (DE, Marquiss Spencer), (RB, Kylin Hill)
The Bulldogs did a good job replacing their best defensive end last year in Marquiss Spencer. The addition of Donterry Russell should do well to fill the spot and allow for development in the future. Along with QB Braedyn Lock, the Bulldogs brought in some offensive line talent in the form of OG Lucas Taylor.
Overall, it looks as if Mississippi State had a solid offseason in terms of recruits. More importantly, these additions will give second-year Head Coach Mike Leach a roster to work with. This also gives the Bulldogs a better chance to end their season with a betting showing than their 2020 outing.
Mississippi State Bulldogs Preview 2021
The Bulldogs won’t likely win the SEC, but that doesn’t mean they won’t record a better season this year. They’ve got some talented recruits getting added to the lineup, and Mike Leach seems more than capable of leading them. Talent, although needed, is not nearly as necessary as good coaching.
The Bulldogs are on the right path, indicated by big wins over LSU and Tulsa in 2020. With a more generous schedule next season, the Bulldogs could find themselves in the middle of the SEC.
Mississippi State Bulldogs Futures Best Bets
For obvious reasons, taking the Bulldogs to win the National Championship is a bad bet. The team had a losing season in the previous year, and likely won’t make the playoffs. There’s also no need to take them to win the SEC this year. Fortunately, there is a bet to be made on Mississippi State this year. That bet is the over on the 6 win total.
The Bulldogs showed in the previous season the ability to beat big-name opponents. This year, they have four opponents they likely won’t beat. However, last season, there weren’t many people who believed they’d beat LSU either. With a couple of key additions in the offseason, Mississippi State is poised for an over 6 win season.
Launch a college football sportsbook before the season with the best pay per head service.
