Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 9th 2024

Preview and Prediction

Tennessee's head coach, Josh Heupel, appeared indifferent on Monday towards the first College Football Playoff rankings that were released on Tuesday night.

According to Heupel, "At this stage, the playoff rankings hold no significance. You have no control over them. What you can control is your preparation and performance. Ultimately, that will determine your position."

In the initial poll, the Volunteers landed in seventh place, placing them in a strong position to secure a spot in the 12-team field as long as they continue to win. On Saturday night, they will face off against SEC rival Mississippi State for their Homecoming game in Knoxville.

With a record of 7-1, 4-1 in the SEC, Tennessee trails co-leaders Georgia and Texas A&M by a half-game, but they have a game in hand on both teams. Their remaining conference games against Georgia and Vanderbilt will either solidify their position or eliminate them from playoff contention.

Last week, the Volunteers defeated Kentucky 28-18 at home, with running back Dylan Sampson leading the way with 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns. This performance also earned him the record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season, surpassing the previous record set 95 years ago by Gene McIver in 1929.

Sampson, a junior, is just 20 yards shy of reaching 1,000 rushing yards for the season and 19 yards away from reaching 2,000 for his career. He has become the focal point of the Tennessee offense, as quarterback Nico Iamaleava has struggled after a strong start to the season.

So far this year, Iamaleava has thrown for 1,705 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions. The team's defense, which has only allowed an average of 12.4 points per game, has helped make up for his slump.

For Heupel, the focus for the month of November is simple: "We need to continue to improve and grow."

On the other side, Mississippi State (2-7, 0-5) is coming off a 45-20 victory against Massachusetts, ending their seven-game losing streak. While most of their SEC losses have been close, they were blown out 58-25 by Arkansas two weeks ago.

One factor that contributed to their win against Massachusetts was their strong ground game, averaging eight yards per carry and scoring five rushing touchdowns. Three different players rushed for at least 69 yards, with Johnnie Daniels leading the way with 92 yards.

According to Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby, their success on the ground was due to their improved positioning and ability to win one-on-one matchups. Quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. also had a solid performance, throwing for 222 yards and completing 57.1% of his passes.

Tennessee currently holds a 29-16-1 lead in the all-time series against Mississippi State. This will be their first meeting in five years.

PREDICTION

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Tennessee Volunteers