2011 Music City Bowl Line
Nashville has been known as Music City, and the home of country music. In Nashville, footballs spiraling through the air make a musical tone, and December 30 will feature some of that music when two up-and-coming college-football programs collide in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl as Mississippi State of the SEC takes on Wake Forest of the ACC.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the schools on the football field.
A quick look at the latest college football odds shows Mississippi State favored by 7 points, while the total (over/under) has been listed at 48 points.
Mississippi State
The Bulldogs had one of the more brutal schedules in the country, but managed to win six games to become bowl eligible. The team faced five teams ranked in the most recent top-25 polls, including No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, losing all five games. Most recently, MSU won the Egg Bowl vs. Ole Miss, 31-3. Overall, the Bulldogs were 3-3 away from home this year.
Defensively, the Bulldogs rank 19th nationally in points allowed (20 ppg), surrendering 356 yards per game (195 passing, 161 rushing) while recording 21 sacks and forcing 20 turnovers – two of which returned for touchdowns (Johnathan Banks and Darius Slay, interceptions).
Cameron Lawrence leads the defensive unit with 114 tackles (22 more than anyone else), adding two sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a recovery, while Fletcher Cox has four sacks, 49 tackles, a forced fumble, a blocked kick and a fumble recovery. Banks has five picks, three forced fumbles and 64 tackles.
On offense, the Bulldogs rank 73rd nationally in points scored (25 ppg) while compiling 355 yards per game (186 passing, 169 rushing). Chris Relf and Tyler Russell have combined to complete 57 percent of their passes for 2,117 yards and 17 TDs with 11 interceptions.
Chris Smith and Arceto Clark lead the pass-catching group with 58 combined catches for 687 yards and five TDs, while Vick Ballard anchors the running game with 1,009 yards and eight scores on 5.6 yards per carry.
Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons started the season 4-1, but staggered to a 1-4 finish to the season, capped by a 41-7 home loss to Vanderbilt in the regular-season finale. Wake tied for second in the ACC Atlantic Division (5-3). Overall, Wake was 2-3 away from home this year.
The Deacons rank 62nd nationally in scoring offense (27 ppg) while compiling 375 yards per game (256 passing, 119 rushing). Tanner Price has completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,803 yards and 20 TDs with six interceptions. The offensive line has allowed 29 sacks.
Chris Givens leads the receiving crops with 74 receptions for 1,276 yards and nine TDs, with Michael Campanaro adds 63 grabs for 705 yards and two scores. Brandon Pendergrass leads the running game with 750 yards and eight scores on 4.6 yards per carry.
Defensively, Wake Forest ranks 70th nationally in points allowed (28 ppg), allowing 399 yards per game (236 passing, 163 rushing) while recording 10 sacks and forcing 17 turnovers.
Cyhl Quarles leads the defense with 96 tackles (31 more than anyone else), adding two fumble recoveries, while Josh Bush has six interceptions with 56 tackles. Kyle Wilber has 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles, adding 65 tackles, a blocked kick and a fumble recovery.
