Two teams that have had utterly forgettable seasons in 2010 will square off this weekend, as Ole Miss goes to Neyland Stadium to take on Tennessee.

NCAA football betting: Mississippi Rebels @ Tennessee Volunteers

Online Betting Odds: Tennessee -2.5

Why To Bet On Mississippi
This is yet another game in which the best reasons to bet on one team lie on the other side of the divide. The Tennessee Volunteers have endured a wrenching season under first-year head coach Derek Dooley. The Vols have been plagued by a chronic inability to start what they finish. Tennessee plays well in the first halves of games, but the Vols have often been blown out or – at the very least – solidly outplayed after halftime. A big part of the reason for this trend is that the Vols were left with a thin cupboard when former coach Lane Kiffin abruptly departed for the USC job following only one year in Knoxville. A number of players sold on joining Kiffin at Tennessee either went to the USC Trojans or reconsidered their choices. Moreover, a number of summer incidents caused suspensions and dismissals that left Tennessee even more depleted. There’s just no depth on this team, and that’s why the Volunteers wear down in the second half. Many of the skill positions on the Vols are filled by underclassmen, including quarterback Tyler Bray, who is still finding his way around the field and learning to play in the Southeastern Conference. Tennessee is going through a lot of growing pains this year, so much so that the Vols are winless in the SEC. The only three times Tennessee has scored more than 24 points this season have come in games against Conference USA opponents (UAB and Memphis) or FCS foes (Tennessee-Martin). The Mississippi Rebels have a porous defense, but against the Vols, the Rebels have a favorable matchup that cuts in their direction.

Why To Bet On Tennessee
The hope for the Vols and their fans is two-pronged: First, this is a home game, which will give Tennessee a chance to perhaps rattle Ole Miss a little bit as the season winds towards its conclusion. Secondly, this is an early kickoff (noon Eastern time), which means that Ole Miss might be a little groggy and foggy as it wakes up and prepares for this road game. The Rebels have a lousy defense. Coach Houston Nutt’s team has not defended its own goal line very well this year. Ole Miss has allowed at least 35 points in four of its last six games, and the team sits at 100th in the nation (out of 120 FBS teams) in scoring defense, with an average of 32.9 points allowed per contest. Tennessee’s struggling offense can get healthy against Ole Miss. As long as the Vols don’t give up too many big plays on defense, they can force the Rebels to kick field goals in the red zone and win this game by a score of 28-23 or perhaps 31-30. There’s a reason why Ole Miss is not an outright favorite on Saturday.

How The Game Will Play Out
Tennessee has a very legitimate chance to win this game, but the sense here is that Ole Miss will score touchdowns against the Tennessee defense. Jeremiah Masoli, the Mississippi quarterback, is an upper-tier player who will find ways to carve up the Vols’ defense. In a pick game, choose the Rebels to win on the road.

Mississippi Tennessee Betting Pick: Mississippi +2.5

Story by BetOnline