Music City Bowl Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Missouri Tigers

The Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4) and the 19th-ranked Missouri Tigers (9-3) will battle in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Monday, December 30 at 2:30 PM ET at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. Current college football betting odds show the Tigers favored with their point spread at -2.5 (-120) with our friends at MyBookie.

Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview

The Hawkeyes have won their last two games, with their recent success being a 13-10 outing over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Drew Stevens nailed a 53-yard field goal to cap off a strong fourth quarter run and won the game.

They were down 10-0 at the half and were able to accumulate enough offense in the second half to overcome a slow start. Jackson Stratton completed eight of 15 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Starting quarterback Cade McNamara has entered the transfer portal, so their offense will have a new look under Stratton.

Their offense was atrocious, as they put up 164 yards and five first downs. They only had possession of the ball for about 21 minutes, which will be painful to watch if they do this against the Tigers.

The Hawkeyes have been averaging 28.0 points a game and rank 70th in the country. Their defense has allowed opposing teams to get 17.1 points a game. This spread might not be the same since McNamara is out of the lineup, as well as a poor offensive performance in their recent game.

Missouri Tigers Betting Preview

The Tigers have also won their last two games and have great momentum on their side. Their latest win was a 28-21 performance over the Arkansas Razorbacks, which featured a strong fourth quarter outburst from the Tigers.

Brady Cook landed the nail in the coffin with a touchdown just two minutes to go in the fourth, as the Tigers put up 18 points in that quarter. Cook completed half of his 20 passes for 168 yards and rushed one touchdown.

With possession of the ball for almost 32 minutes, the Tigers put up 361 yards and 18 first downs. They also forced two turnovers for the Razorbacks, but their slow start on offense is a bit concerning.

The Tigers are putting up 29.1 points a game and rank 58th in the country for this output. Their defense ranks 19th in allowing 20.1 points a game. This is a solid spread and should offers them an edge.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie has you covered with TransPerfect Music City Bowl betting odds, favoring the Tigers by 2.5-points. The Tigers have a 52.4 percent chance of winning outright, according to market analysis. With the Hawkeyes’ offense struggling in their last game, and without their starting quarterback along with other key players being injured, the Tigers have a good shot at covering the spread.

Final Pick: Missouri Tigers -2.5 (-120)