The No. 24 Mississippi State University Bulldogs (8-4, 2-3 Away) travel to face the University of Illinois Fighting Illini (8-4, 5-2 Home) at Raymond James Stadium on Monday.
The Bulldogs are 1.5-point favorites, and the total is 46. Mississippi State is coming off a tight 24-22 win over No. 20 Ole Miss at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field on November 24.
Will Rogers threw for 239 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Jo’quavious Marks ran 14 times for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Dillon Johnson caught eight passes for 46 yards.Illinois beat Northwestern 41-3 at Ryan Field on November 26. Tommy DeVito was 12 of 18 for 136 yards and an interception. Reggie Love III carried 11 times for 85 yards and a touchdown. Chase Brown had one reception for 43 yards.
TALE OF THE TAPE
The Bulldogs are averaging 32.7 points per game for the season, 38th in FBS, and they are facing a Fighting Illini defense that has surrendered 12.3 PPG (2nd). Meanwhile, Illinois has scored 25.4 points a game this season, 83rd in the country, and Mississippi State is allowing 24.2 PPG (51st).
The Bulldogs rank as one of the country’s top teams in passing yards per game (314.3, 11th), while they are 130th in rushing yards (78.8).
They will be matching strength against strength through the air, as the Fighting Illini are sixth in the country in passing yards allowed per game (165.4). Against the run, Illinois is eighth (98.4).
Illinois is 97th in the nation in passing yards per game (208.3) and 49th in rushing (178.3), while the Bulldogs are allowing 206.8 passing yards (41st) and 143.6 rushing yards per game (58th).
TOP PERFORMERS
Through 12 games, Will Rogers has thrown for 34 touchdowns (6 INT) and 309.4 yards per game to lead Mississippi State in passing.
In five games away from home this season, he has eight TDs (4 INT) and an average of 240.0 yards passing. Jo’quavious Marks leads the team in rushing with an average of 48.4 yards a game over 11 games.
He has nine touchdowns on the ground and two through the air. Rara Thomas is the Bulldogs’ leading receiver with 52.2 yards a game and seven TDs.Tommy DeVito has 15 passing touchdowns (4 INT) with 199.8 yards per game through 12 games to lead Illinois.
Chase Brown has been the team’s leading performer on the ground, averaging 136.9 yards a game through 12 games. He has 13 total touchdowns, 10 rushing and three receiving. Isaiah Williams has been a key target in the Fighting Illini’s aerial attack. He has five touchdowns and a 49.6 yard per game average through 12 appearances.
SportsTips’ College Football Pick:
Mississippi State (-175)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
