Tennessee opens as road favorite for Saturday's game at Mississippi State

Tennessee Football on Sunday afternoon opened as an 8.5-point road favorite for Saturday’s game at Mississippi State. The Vols (3-1) and Bulldogs (4-0) are scheduled for a 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time start on SEC Network at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville.

Tennessee is 3-1 against the spread this season, covering as 13.5-point favorites against Syracuse, covering as a 39.5-point favorite against East Tennessee State and covering as a 3.5-point underdog against Georgia. 

Tennessee in its 56-24 win over UAB on Saturday failed to cover for the first time this season, with the Vols favored by 38.5. Mississippi State beat Northern Illinois 38-10 on Saturday, covering a 21.5-point spread.

Tennessee leads Mississippi State series 30-16-1

Tennessee is 30-16-1 all time against Mississippi State, dating back to 1907. The Vols have won eight of the last nine, going back to 1995, but have played just three times since 2012.

The Vols haven’t played at Mississippi State since the 41-31 loss to the Bulldogs in October 2012 and haven’t won in Starkville since the 33-21 win in October 2007.

Mississippi State is off to a 4-0 start after a 34-17 win at Southern Miss, then home wins over Arizona State (24-20), Alcorn State (63-0) and Northern Illinois (38-10).

State has already doubled its win total from last season, when the Bulldogs finished 2-10, including a 33-14 loss at Tennessee, in the first season under Jeff Lebby. 

Lebby was Josh Heupel’s quarterbacks coach at UCF in 2018 and offensive coordinator in 2019, before going to Ole Miss and Oklahoma.

Joey Aguilar extends passing streak in win over UAB

Tennessee on Saturday got 218 yards passing and three touchdowns from quarterback Joey Aguilar, giving him 200 or more yards in each of his 28 career starts, the longest active streak in Football Bowl Subdivision. Aguilar has also thrown for multiple touchdowns in 22 of his 28 starts. 

Tennessee rushed 43 times for 235 yards as a team and scored four rushing touchdowns. 

DeSean Bishop had nine carries for 59 yards and two touchdown, Peyton Lewis had 11 carries for 81 yards and a score and Star Thomas had nine carries for 51 yards and a touchdown.

Chris Brazzell II caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown, giving him six over his last three games, and Mike Matthews had three catches for 53 yards and a score.

Tennessee has a bye week after the trip to Mississippi State. The Vols start the October schedule at home against Arkansas on October 11, then go back on the road for two straight at Alabama (October 18) and at Kentucky (October 25).