PREMIUM
Rogers' VERY EARLY Afternoon ANNIHILATION (Monday) >> 6-1 Bowl Run!
(NCAAF) Miami-OH vs. Mississippi State,
Point Spread: -14.00 | 101.00 Mississippi State (Home)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: -14.00 | 101.00 Mississippi State (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: Neither Miami, Ohio nor Mississippi State were thinking about going 'bowling' come December back in October. The Redhawks earned their first bowl bid since 2010 by winning their last six games after losing their first six. The Bulldogs were 2-5 entering the final weekend of October and with an impressive 55-20 win at Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, finished the regular season just 5-7. However, Miss. St. got in by virtue of its APR (Academic Progress Rate) when not enough 6-6 teams were available to fill the 80 bowl slots. So, a 6-6 team will meet a 5-7 team in this year's St. Petersburg Bowl.
Miami, Ohio: The Redhawks are the first team in NCAA history to start the season 0-6 before winning six straight They averaged 29.8 PPG during their winning streak and held four of six opponents to 20 points or less. The turnaround was sparked by turning the starting QB job over to Gus Ragland, who completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 1,274 yards while throwing 15 TD passes and not a single interception in 149 pass attempts. Sophomore RBs Alonzo Smith and Kenny Young combined for 1,179 yards but the team averaged only 134.2 YPG on the ground (3.6 YPC) to rank 109th. Even with the team's late spurt, the offense ranks 111th in scoring (23.4 PPG) and 106th in total offense (362.2 YPG). The defense checks in allowing 24.3 PPG (40th) but remember, Miami played just one Power-5 school.
Mississippi State:The Bulldogs huge win over Ole Miss got them this bid and QB Nick Fitzgerald, tasked with replacing Dak Prescott, threw for three TDs against Ole Miss plus added 258 rushing yards and another two TDs. He led the SEC in total offense with 3,530 yards (1,243 on the ground) and had a hand in 35 TDs, 21 passing and 14 rushing. The offense ranks 39th in total yards (449.0 per) and averaged 31.5 POPG. The defense struggled, allowing 33.1 PPG (96) but after all, the Bulldogs do play in the SEC.
The pick: Miami's Ragland was superb as a game manager but he won't bring anything that an SEC defense has not seen before. As for Miami's solid defensive numbers, this a YUGE step up in class and how does one ignore the fact that Miami allowed 45 points to Iowa, the lone Power-5 team it played this season. Nick Fitzgerald figures to be too much for the Miami defense to handle, as Mississippi State's offense stepped it up in the second half of the season, averaging more than 45 points in the five games that were not against No. 1 Alabama. Lay the points and make Miss. St. an 8* play.
Miami, Ohio: The Redhawks are the first team in NCAA history to start the season 0-6 before winning six straight They averaged 29.8 PPG during their winning streak and held four of six opponents to 20 points or less. The turnaround was sparked by turning the starting QB job over to Gus Ragland, who completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 1,274 yards while throwing 15 TD passes and not a single interception in 149 pass attempts. Sophomore RBs Alonzo Smith and Kenny Young combined for 1,179 yards but the team averaged only 134.2 YPG on the ground (3.6 YPC) to rank 109th. Even with the team's late spurt, the offense ranks 111th in scoring (23.4 PPG) and 106th in total offense (362.2 YPG). The defense checks in allowing 24.3 PPG (40th) but remember, Miami played just one Power-5 school.
Mississippi State:The Bulldogs huge win over Ole Miss got them this bid and QB Nick Fitzgerald, tasked with replacing Dak Prescott, threw for three TDs against Ole Miss plus added 258 rushing yards and another two TDs. He led the SEC in total offense with 3,530 yards (1,243 on the ground) and had a hand in 35 TDs, 21 passing and 14 rushing. The offense ranks 39th in total yards (449.0 per) and averaged 31.5 POPG. The defense struggled, allowing 33.1 PPG (96) but after all, the Bulldogs do play in the SEC.
The pick: Miami's Ragland was superb as a game manager but he won't bring anything that an SEC defense has not seen before. As for Miami's solid defensive numbers, this a YUGE step up in class and how does one ignore the fact that Miami allowed 45 points to Iowa, the lone Power-5 team it played this season. Nick Fitzgerald figures to be too much for the Miami defense to handle, as Mississippi State's offense stepped it up in the second half of the season, averaging more than 45 points in the five games that were not against No. 1 Alabama. Lay the points and make Miss. St. an 8* play.
