Prediction time: Armed Forces Bowl

Army is 6.5-point favorite against Missouri in the Armed Forces Bowl tonight.

The Black Knights are undefeated in the Armed Forces Bowl, winning all three of its trips in 2010, 2017 and 2018.

Army will be playing a 6-6 Missouri team that is without its record-setting rusher Tyler Badie and is starting freshman quarterback Brady Cook. The last time Army faced a young quarterback in the Armed Forces Bowl it dismantled Houston and Clayton Tune 70-14 in 2018.

There’s been a lot of talk of how highly motivated Army will be for this game after a loss to Navy the last time it took the field. Coach Jeff Monken had said in the past that emotion gets a team so far and execution wins football games.

Sal Interdonato (Black Knight Nation): Army 28, Missouri 24. Game definitely changes with Badie out. Still can’t take Missouri’s offense lightly. Remember Austin Kendall came off the bench to load West Virginia over Army in the Liberty Bowl last year. If the Black Knights want to win the Armed Forces Bowl for a third time, Army will have to be better on first down than it was against Navy when it gained two or less yards on 13 of 18 plays.

Predictions from around the college football world (Most of these are before Missouri running back Tyler Badie opted not play)

Barrett Sallee (CBS Sports): Missouri +6.5. Sallee taking Missouri to win outright.
Kevin McGuire (Athlon Sports): Army 34, Missouri 30
Pete Fiutak (College Football News): Missouri 27, Army 21