Armed Forces Bowl 2021: Odds, Daily Fantasy Tips for Missouri vs. Army
The Army Black Knights own one of the most significant mismatches of the FBS bowl season.
Army's triple-option offense faces one of the worst rushing defenses in the country owned by the Missouri Tigers in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Army averages 286.4 rushing yards per game and Missouri allows 229.3 rushing yards per contest.
The Black Knights are the deserving favorite because of that mismatch, which is a rarity for a service academy going up against a SEC school.
Armed Forces Bowl Info
Date: Wednesday, December 22
Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: ESPN app and ESPN.com
Game Odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Spread: Army (-5.5)
Over/Under: 56.5
Money Line: Army (-210; bet $210 to win $100); Missouri (+175; bet $100 to win $175)
Daily Fantasy Tios
Take Advantage Of Army's Edge In Ground Game
Army's triple-option offense should feast on the Missouri rushing defense that has struggled to contain opposing running backs all season.
Missouri finished the regular season by giving up 163 yards on the ground to the Arkansas Razorbacks. The Tigers also gave up 168 rushing yards to the Georgia Bulldogs in November.
The SEC East side is already hurt by the run game and now it has to face an unfamiliar triple-option offense in a bowl game. That could be a recipe for disaster.
Army has three players with over 100 carries and four with more than 400 rushing yards. Running back Tyrell Robinson leads the squad with 603 yards. Fullback Jakobi Buchanan has the most touchdowns with 11.
Quarterback Christian Anderson is second to Robinson in rushing yards and tied for second in rushing touchdowns.
Anderson and Buchanan are the two best Army players to use in daily fantasy football lineups because of their effectiveness in the red zone.
Missouri enters Fort Worth, Texas with the seventh-worst rushing defense and the worst of any postseason qualifier.
The Tigers may not have a ton of motivation to play in a mid-tier bowl game against an offense that could eat it alive.
Meanwhile, Army is looking to finish the season on a high note after losing the Navy Midshipmen on December 11. The Black Knights have the edge on the ground and in motivation to control the contest.
Tyler Badie Will Be Missouri's Best Player
Most of the talk surrounding a rushing attack in the Armed Forces Bowl is about Army, but Missouri has a darn good running game of its own behind senior Tyler Badie.
Badie ran for 1,604 yards on 268 carries to help power the SEC East side into the postseason. He finished the regular season with three 200-yard performances in his last five games.
Badie's last outing against Arkansas was a masterclass in trusting the run game, as he earned 219 yards and a touchdown on 41 carries.
The senior running back is the most trustworthy player inside the Mizzou offense. Quarterback Connor Bazelak has 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Bazelak has not been consistent enough to start in a DFS contest, especially when the opposing quarterback is so vital to his team's offense.
Badie is going up against the 13th-best rushing defense in the country. It is worth noting he had just 109 combined yards in his two toughest matchups against the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies.
Army does not have a top-notch SEC defense, but it contains the run well enough where it could slow down Badie to open up an edge on the scoreboard.
Badie is worthy of a lineup selection despite the matchup with Army's run defense because he is expected to receive a high volume of carries. He had 22 or more touches in five of his last six appearance.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).
