Will Mizzou football cover the points spread against Kentucky?
Missouri football is back and so is the opportunity to profit at the gambling window.
Whether you’re taking the drive over to Illinois, or using shady cryptocurrency to fund shadier offshore accounts, the Tigers’ Saturday matchup with Kentucky could be your chance to make a buck.
Just kidding. Sports gambling is illegal in Missouri and the hallowed pages of the Columbia Daily Tribune would never support anyone committing such a heinous crime.
The following preview is for entertainment purposes. Please don’t even consider using it to make bets.
Kentucky –2
This number has moved ever-so-slightly since opening with Kentucky favored at –2.5. Still, the books continue to favor UK, which comes into Saturday’s game with a slightly better record than Missouri at 5-3.
Bettors who truly believe in the Tigers might be better served going for a money line bet. MU can be had at around +105, depending on the book, which would offer a better payout should Missouri win the game.
Since MU joined the SEC, it holds a 4-6 record against UK. The Tigers won their first three games against the Wildcats before Mark Stoops’ program build took hold and Kentucky reeled off five straight.
Last season, quarterback Will Levis and Co. were too much and UK defended its home stadium in a 35-28 win. This year, Levis is back, along with running back Chris Rodriguez.
If those two get going, Missouri will have a hard time beating a Wildcats squad that took a 44-6 drubbing against Tennessee last week. However, if the Tigers can replicate their defensive result from last week against South Carolina, and their offense doesn’t make any major mistakes, MU could walk away with another upset.
Over/under 41.5
When betting opened for Saturday’s game, the points total was set at 44.5. Since then, it has dropped down to 41.5.
The meaning? Bettors evidently are expecting a rock fight.
This does have all the makings of a game that could come down to which team makes a single slip on defense. That’s due at least in part to the quality of offensive line play.
The Tigers’ issues on the line have been a consistent problem. All through the season, Missouri has had trouble keeping Brady Cook upright.
More:Mizzou has its main SEC rival. 10 thoughts from Mizzou's upset win over South Carolina
The line played its best game of the season against South Carolina. If it can keep that up, this game might have a chance at seeing the over.
On the other side, Kentucky has offensive line problems of its own. Coupled with Missouri’s furious pass rush that made life miserable for South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler last week, Saturday’s matchup has the potential to be extremely low-scoring.
Still, 41.5 is a low number. These teams do have some offensive weapons, and if those can get going in any way, the potential is there for this total to end up somewhere in the 50s or 60s, which would make an overbet seem extremely smart.
National roundup
Neither team is a factor in the conversation for the 2022 national championship, so please skip any ill-advised bets on that this week. Odds can still be found on both teams for an SEC title, though that grows closer to a mathematical impossibility each week.
The Wildcats do have one player showing up in Heisman Trophy future betting, Levis, who can be bet at around 150-1. South Carolina had Rattler showing up at 200-1, even with last Saturday's upset loss.
Next week, Missouri will face off with one of the Heisman frontrunners in Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, who can be had at around 2-1.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou football: Kentucky points spread and total for SEC game
