Armed Forces Bowl 2020: Odds, Daily Fantasy Tips for Tulsa vs. Mississippi State

Mike Leach's first season as the Mississippi State head coach didn't go quite as well as many had hoped. Especially after the Bulldogs opened the year with a road win over LSU, the defending national champions.

After that, Mississippi State lost seven of its next eight games and finished at 3-7 after beating Missouri in its regular-season finale. Still, the Bulldogs will have an opportunity to end the year with a big win, as they're set to take on Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday afternoon.

Tulsa had a solid season, going 6-2 with its only losses coming in its season opener at Oklahoma State and in the AAC Championship game against undefeated Cincinnati, both of which were ranked teams. In between those games, the Golden Hurricane won six in a row, a stretch that included victories over UCF and SMU.

While Tulsa is making its first bowl appearance since 2016, this is the 11th straight season that Mississippi State is playing in a bowl game.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's Armed Forces Bowl, along with some daily fantasy tips for the matchup.

Armed Forces Bowl Information

Date: Thursday, Dec. 31

Start Time: Noon ET

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: ESPN online

Odds

Spread: Tulsa (-2.5)

Over/Under: 46.5 points

Moneyline: Tulsa -132 (bet $132 to win $100); Mississippi State +108 (bet $100 to win $108)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Daily Fantasy Tips

Mississippi State's Rogers is the QB to Start From This Matchup

Tulsa's defense has given up 194.8 yards per game through the air this season. However, Mississippi State's Air Raid offense is going to pass a lot. The team didn't have a player rush for more than 240 total yards this season.

True freshman Will Rogers took over as Mississippi State's starting quarterback midway through the season, and he got better as he gained experience. He passed for 295 or more yards in three of the Bulldogs' past four games, and he threw three touchdowns in a game twice during that stretch.

Rogers will be looking to prove that he should remain Mississippi State's starting quarterback next season, and a big showing against Tulsa could help do that. The Bulldogs have some talented playmakers around him, so it's possible they'll be tougher to stop than some of the other passing attacks that the Golden Hurricane faced this season.

Start Rogers in daily fantasy lineups, as he's at least going to get plenty of opportunities to pass, and there's a good chance he capitalizes on them.

Taylor is Top RB to Consider Out of Tulsa's Backfield

Nick Wass/Associated Press

With three solid running backs, Tulsa's rushing attack can be difficult for opposing teams to stop. The Golden Hurricane are averaging 164.4 yards on the ground per game, with each of its backs getting involved on a consistent basis.

However, if you're looking for just one of these running backs to start in a daily fantasy lineup, then you should go with redshirt senior Corey Taylor II. He's an experienced runner who has been playing consistently well of late. He's rushed for at least 60 yards in each of his past five games, going over the 100-yard mark twice in that span.

Taylor had 22 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown in the AAC Championship game against Cincinnati, marking the first time he had gotten into the end zone since scoring his first two touchdowns of the season in a win over USF on Oct. 23.

Mississippi State is giving up 125.3 rushing yards per game, and that number could be larger if Tulsa gets all of its running backs in the mix effectively. But Taylor is easily the one to start for daily fantasy purposes.

Williams Could Be Sleeper Mississippi State WR to Target

Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press

It's been clear that true freshman Jaden Walley has been Mississippi State's top receiver in recent weeks. He's gone over 100 yards in each of the Bulldogs' past four games, scoring his first two career touchdowns during that stretch. However, Tulsa may focus on trying to limit his production because of that.

If that happens, Mississippi State won't stop going to the air. Rogers will just need to find other receiving options to get involved. And that could end up being junior Austin Williams, who has been consistent this season but has yet to have a huge showing. Williams has had between 31 and 57 receiving yards in all nine games he's had a catch.

Williams' daily fantasy value could also be dependent on whether he gets into the end zone. It could be a solid day for him if he scores a touchdown, like he did in back-to-back games against Ole Miss (Nov. 28) and Auburn (Dec. 12).

Although Williams may not completely break out with a huge performance, he could have a solid showing. And if he adds a touchdown to that, he'd end up being a worthwhile daily fantasy play at wide receiver.

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