Missouri Tigers at Tennessee Volunteers: 5 things to know about MU’s next SEC East game
Can Missouri pull off a Georgia-like effort at Tennessee on Saturday?
The Tigers gave the top-ranked Bulldogs their biggest scare this season, falling 26-22 a month ago. The Vols lost their first game of the season, at Georgia 27-13 last weekend.
Missouri has played nearly every SEC opponent close, most recently a 21-17 loss to Kentucky last weekend. The (6-1, 4-1, SEC) Tigers are 2-4 in league play (4-5 overall) with five games decided by one score. Mizzou is 1-4 in those games.
The details
Kickoff: 11 a.m. (Central), Saturday
Where: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tenn.
TV: CBS (Ch. 5 Kansas City)
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
Betting line: Opened Tennessee by 17 1/2, currently Vols by 20 1/2
Five things to know
Josh Heupel has worked wonders on Rocky Top: In his second year as Tennessee’s head coach, Josh Heupel has the Vols in College Football Playoff contention. He was hired after spending two seasons at Central Florida. Before that? Heupel was Missouri’s offensive coordinator under Barry Odom. In 2017 under Heupel’s guidance, Drew Lock led the FBS and set Mizzou and SEC records with 44 passing touchdowns.
How will Vols react to first loss? Tennessee scored first and last against Georgia, but it was all Bulldogs in between. The Bulldogs entered the game ranked first, the Vols second in the AP poll. Tennessee dropped to fifth with the loss. How will Tennessee react? There is still plenty for Tennessee to achieve, even if it doesn’t win the SEC East. The Vols could still get into the College Football Playoff as an at-large team, but they need to keep winning.
Defending Hendon Hooker: Georgia brought the head to Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, a Heisman Trophy front-runner. The Bulldogs sacked Hooker six times and held him without a touchdown pass for the first time in 20 games. Missouri’s defense has been excellent all season, but Hooker is the best quarterback it is likely to face.
How to bounce back for Mizzou: Missouri had clawed back into its game against Kentucky. Trialing 14-3, the Tigers got a pair of touchdown runs from quarterback Brady Cook to take the lead but couldn’t finish the game. There is this: After one of their most disappointing losses this year, at Auburn, Missouri showed fire against Georgia and led that game until the final four minutes.
Missouri’s bowl scenario: The Tigers made becoming bowl eligible difficult with the Kentucky loss. At 4-5, Missouri needs to win two of its final three to reach the required six victories. They’re big underdogs this weekend, will be big favorites at home against New Mexico State, which will kick off at 6:30 p.m., and be televised by ESPNU. That could mean the finale against Arkansas in Columbia on Nov. 26 will be for a Mizzou bowl game.
