By Superfan Phil

The two-touchdown underdog Missouri Tigers had come back home to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.

The game had started off with the Bulldogs receiving the ball first and marching down the field leading to an interception from Christian Holmes. This is it. This is a chance for our offense to come out on the field early and capitalize on one heck of a play from the defense. This was our chance to make a statement.

The first drive for our Tigers started with a pass to Kendall Blanton, a running play drawn up for Larry Rountree III, a 25-yard reception for freshman standout Tyler Badie, which if he would have been able to toe the sideline, would’ve put six up on the board for Missouri and put us on the right track to pulling the upset.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. The first bit of outrage of the game was just about to happen after Lock had thrown a pass to stud tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. O had started up the field where he was met by a swarm of Georgia defenders, who had appeared to STOP the forward progress of Albert O. The play wasn’t blown dead, O was stripped of the ball, and Tyson -Campbell ran it back 64 yards for the first score of the game. 7-0 Georgia.

The next bit of outrage was about to happen on the following drive. Missouri had marched up the field and stalled out, setting up a 41-yard field goal attempt for Tucker McCann. The kick goes up, the referee signaled no good. Which as the game progressed, I started to see things coming from the likes of Yahoo Sports, ESPN, and a few other sources bringing up this little bit of controversy. Three more points not on the board for Missouri. Two plays full of controversy in the first quarter alone. It appeared it was going to be one of those days for Missouri.

Now, I’m not one to sit and blame the referees for a win or a loss. Missouri definitely shot themselves in the foot enough to put themselves out of walking off the field with a 4-0 record and a win against the #2 team in their pocket. So for the purpose of keeping your blood pressure down, I’m not going to make this write up about the referees.

I wrote about what I wanted to see from our Tigers against the Dawgs in an article earlier last week. The first one was our secondary and really our whole defense all together. In my opinion, our defense was better. They never backed down from the Dawgs or looked intimidated. The looked confident, ready to make up for the performance against Purdue. It seemed to me that we got the stops we needed to make early. We gave the ball back to our offense several times with the chance to march down the field for points and early in the game. The offense just couldn’t get it together enough to really capitalize on those chances.

It wasn’t until the second half that we really started to see our secondary start to get tested and picked apart. I just don’t think these corners are very good. Really, our whole secondary isn’t very good. Blown coverage, the lack of making a play on the ball, and the lack of physicality really stand out to me. Seeing them in person I don’t think it’s an issue that you say “man, they’re just slow” or anything like that, I just don’t think they are very good. There were two plays that stick out to me the most, both of them leading to touchdowns, both of them on the corner backs. A receiver made a catch along the sideline pretty much uncontested and ran it for the score and another was a play over the middle without a defender within 10 yards. Two scores that could have been prevented with a DB not blowing the coverage.

The offense seemed to be slow to take off as well in this game. Especially the first half. It was pretty apparent that Emanuel Hall wasn’t 100%. It is also apparent that they just don’t want to try to go over the top without Hall. It was pretty frustrating to watch the lack of aggressiveness in some series. The offense couldn’t capitalize on the chances given to them by the defense in the half. Dropped balls killed drives as well and also led to a turnover.

Those are things that you absolutely cannot do against a team of Georgia’s caliber and expect to win. The running game looked solid in the game and logged all four of Missouri’s touchdowns. It finally looks like Damarea Crockett is starting to break out of his shell as well. It was clear that Missouri was fine with taking the underneath routes and the yards that came from that. Albert O led the team in receiving with 81 yards on the day. Never really taking a shot downfield, I would’ve loved to see this offense go off like it has in the previous four games. But they put points on the board and that’s what we needed.

Finally, the special teams and that blocked punt that gave Georgia seven points. That was atrocious. Absolutely atrocious. I don’t even want to talk about the McCann field goal, just because I’m looking out for you all and your health. Complete and utter communication breakdown, and no, not cue Led Zeppelin. It was obvious that Georgia was sending the house to block the punt. I just can’t fathom how that did not get picked up by somebody on the special teams unit, or a coach, or somebody. Aggravating.

You have to have good special teams play against those teams. It doesn’t matter if your special teams plays come from not allowing a punt to get blocked, failed, a run back, causing a turnover on a punt or kickoff, etc. That was a huge factor in the outcome of this game. Missouri did block a kick which was a huge special teams play, but it is covered up by the punt that led to seven.

There are many things in this game that we could sit and talk about, there always are. The biggest stand-out to me was that Missouri completely shot themselves in the foot in this game and squandered away a chance to really make some noise not only in the East, but the entire conference.

They certainly didn’t get any help from some of the calls, but sometimes that’s how it goes and you have to leave it in the rearview mirror and overcome it. Missouri is 3-1 and heading into the bye week. We could easily be 2-2, but just as easily be 4-0.
 
MIZ! 

By Superfan Phil

Well, this is it. This is what we have all been waiting for. The opening of our SEC schedule. At the beginning of the year, I looked at this game as another beat-down our beloved Tigers would endure through the course of the season, then we had two very solid performances against lesser schools, UT-M and Wyoming, and thought this could be a good game.

Then Purdue happened. I am not trying to take anything away from our performance in West Lafayette against the mighty Boilermakers, but it certainly wasn’t what I, along with many other fans, had expected. I had expected Missouri to march into West Lafayette and handily take care of Purdue, which certainly wasn’t the whole story. But a win is a win, is a win, so on, and so forth. So back home to take on the Georgia Bulldogs undefeated. Let’s dive into what I believe could be some big factors in the game against the Dawgs.
 
Our Secondary and Pass Rush 
Whew, that was atrocious, watching our secondary get absolutely picked apart by David Blough. Blough threw for 572 yards. You read that correctly, David Blough put up 572 against our defense. It didn’t help that Demarkus Acy went down on the first play of the game and did not return. Simply put, in order to hang in with Georgia, our secondary and pass rush have got to get better.

They have shown that they can be a great group of defensive backs against lesser opponents, now that has to translate into a game against bigger, stronger, faster, and better WR’s. Where has our pass rush been? In three games, this defense has only accumulated six sacks. The lack of a pass rush has been the most alarming thing so far this season to me. It really puts our defensive coaching staff in a tough spot on calling plays. Do you call a blitz and run the risk of leaving our corners and safeties hung out to dry even more?

We certainly can’t do what Purdue did to Lock. Lock, along with Fromm, are the kind of QB’s that can sit back and just wait. They’re going to make a play. The only way to disrupt them is by "drum roll please"…….a pass rush. We just aren’t equipped with the secondary we have had in years past. The lock-down guys like Penton and Gaines are two names that REALLY stand out to me. I believe the Purdue game was a wake-up call for both of these groups. We can't see another performance like that again, and we certainly can’t have another performance like that against Jake Fromm and the Georgia offense, or it’s going to be a long night and in all reality, a long frustrating season.

Running Game 
My next two points go hand in hand with each other, so I’ll start with the running game. It was apparent that Derek Dooley really wanted to establish the running game against Purdue. The running game definitely wasn’t lighting up the scoreboard against UT-M or Wyoming, but I felt like we saw it take off a little better against Purdue. The Tigers rushed for 233 yards against the Boilermakers, led by Larry Rountree’s 168 yards. I think this is a huge key, not only in this game, but for the rest of our season. I believe we will get there. It’s only the third game of the season guys, hang in there.
 
How Drew Lock and this offense handles the Bulldogs 
I’m going to sort of roll this point off of my previous point. I want to see how Drew Lock and everyone on this offense handles the Dawgs’ defense. This is the toughest defense they have faced so far and certainly not the last tough defense they will see. Drew Lock has looked like the quarterback we all had expected and hoped for so far. Lock has thrown for 1,062 yards, 11 touchdowns, and an impressive one interception through three games. Despite the fact that the interception was sort of an aggravating play, we have seen him mature from his freshman year until now into one of the best QB’s in Missouri’s history.

How he plays against Georgia will be another huge factor, if not the most important factor, in this game. I think we are going to see Dooley start to open the playbook a little more in this game. I have liked what we have seen so far from this offense, even though the running game hasn't played to its full potential yet, the offensive line has looked impressive, the WR’s have looked impressive, Drew Lock has looked even more impressive, and how about those TE’s! I know I am not alone when in years past, I’ve screamed angrily at the TV about not using the middle of the field, and not using the tight ends. This year we are actually seeing our TE’s being utilized! The middle of the field is being utilized! Hey, whatta you know? It's not illegal after all to throw to a tight end or the middle of the field! I would love nothing more to see this offense show the nation that they really are a force to be reckoned with and something inside of me says that will be the case.
 
There you have it, these are the factors that I think will be important in the upcoming game against the Dawgs. Will we see improvement on the defensive side of the ball? Will we see the offense slide? All we can hope for is a solid performance and to be competitive and maybe, just maybe, we can sneak one away from the #2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs. So everybody going to the game, see ya there!

​If you’re staying home, don’t forget the Shlaflay! MIZ! 

By Joe Cody

​Last week, I said a few things that appear to be true still. I said,

​ I also said,

​Finally, I said,

Well, Purdue did throw the ball and wow did Drew Brees, I mean David Blough, take advantage of Missouri’s secondary. According to David Morrison from RockMNation, Missouri cornerbacks were targeted 26 times for 15 catches, 245 yards and a touchdown, the linebackers were torched for 17-of-20 for 228 yards, and safeties gave up 7 catches for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns in 9 attempts.

Simply put, the defense was god-awful and looked exactly like the 2017 Tigers. This was not just a failure on the back end of the defense. The front four could not get sustained pressure on the QB and it officially appears that #DLineZou is dead and gone.
 
They were lucky to get a W against the best 0-3 team in the country. Now maybe this is just a match up issue against Purdue considering in two games Purdue has scored a total of 72 points against Mizzou. But I also fear this is a taste of things to come against Power Five talent. All of that talk about raising the ceiling is out of the window if the defense cannot get their act together. And, to make things worse, this week Mizzou faces the defending SEC Champion and College Football Playoff runner-up No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs.
 
Before we go into deciding whether the Tigers have a chance in hell against the Bulldogs, let’s look at what makes this team so good. The Bulldogs have a potent but balanced offense, averaging 216.3 yards in the air and 272 yards on the ground. Led by former 5-star QB Jake Fromm, Georgia has plenty of weapons to choose from thanks to star-studded recruiting from coach Kirby Smart. Georgia is stacked with top recruits from around the country and is probably one of the deepest teams in college football. Georgia has five players with at least 90 yards rushing through three games and three with over 100 yards. Two receivers have over 100 yards receiving, led by Mecole Hardman. The Georgia defense ranks 11 in the country in total defense, allowing 258.7 yards per game and only allowing 3 touchdowns total. In week two, the Bulldogs completely humiliated the South Carolina Gamecocks at home in a dominant 41-17 victory. The Bulldogs looked better in every phase of the game, completely overwhelming a team the SEC media has crowned the second-best team in the East.
 
The question is, can Mizzou win against Georgia?
 
Sure, there is always a chance, but it is slim. If we look back at the history of Missouri football, there are a few major upsets of top 10 opponents sprinkled throughout. Nebraska in 2003 and Oklahoma in 2010. Both of these games were in Columbia. These teams were led by dynamic QBs in Brad Smith and Blaine Gabbert that could move the ball and make big plays. Drew Lock fits this mold as an athletic, dominant QB that commands an offense that can move the ball. However, after Purdue, I completely lack faith in the defense to make necessary stops that are key to upsets. Even if Mizzou gets into a shootout with the Bulldogs, do we really think the secondary will make a big play? Barry Odom’s defense will be the key for this game and it is up to Ryan Walters and Brick Haley to figure out how to get the most out their defense and come up with a game plan that allows the Tigers to stay within a possession of the Bulldogs if they want to score the major upset.
 
Unfortunately, for the first time this year, it is most likely Mizzou will be overwhelmed by a football powerhouse and handed a convincing loss. The line opened at Georgia -15.5 and I am not sure they will even cover. The important thing will be to ensure a potential loss against Georgia does not spiral into a losing streak with South Carolina and Alabama coming up next. 

By Ben Mahnken

Winning. It’s a lot better than losing.
 
Even if you win in a fashion you weren’t expecting or hoping for, at the end of the night, you still get to chalk up one more in the ‘W’ column.
 
Missouri fans, myself included tend to wallow in self-pity and pessimism due to years of heartbreak. To quote Kevin Malone (it’s 2018, if you don’t know who that is, for Christ’s sake, watch The Office), “It’s only human natural.”
 
But watching that game, I would think most Mizzou fans probably shared a few thoughts.
 
Why did the back of Purdue’s jerseys say Purdue? That’s a first grade soccer move. Nerds.
 
Mizzou’s jerseys looked good.
 
Drew Lock is good. Really good. To quote Kenny Powers (it’s 2018, if you don’t know who that is, for Christ’s sake watch Eastbound and Down), “Just a man with a mind for victory and an arm like a f*****g cannon.”
 
And the final thought, shit, we are going to lose this game.
 
The offense looked pretty good. The defense gave up almost 600 yards passing to someone who is not a full-time starter in an offense that was dominated by its ground game in their first two games.
 
When Purdue completed a pass that was perfectly defended and somehow bounced directly into the arms of a receiver for a 74-yard gain, that Missouri fanhood pessimism kicked in.
 
Shit, we’re going to find a way to lose this game.
 
But in the end, the offense found a way to bail us out, Tucker McCann kicked a chip shot field goal, and the Tigers escaped West Lafayette with a three-point win.
 
This was a much-needed win. When your next three games line up Georgia, at South Carolina, and at Alabama, getting that third win before playing Georgia was crucial for this season. It takes a little bit of pressure off. Worst case, after 7 weeks (including the bye week after Georgia), you are 3-3.
 
Now they can just go play.
 
National expectations aren’t high for beating Georgia. As of my last check, the line was Georgia -15.5. What do the Tigers have to lose?
 
Personally, I think the Tigers will have to get a few good bounces to pull off the upset. But they will also need the following.
 
The offense needs to lead the way. They had some success last season in Athens and the offense is clicking right now. To have a chance, Missouri is probably going to need to conservatively put 35 points on the board. At least.
 
The defense has to create some pressure. Purdue had all day to throw. I also thought our secondary got caught with their eyes in the backfield far too often on play-action passes in a game where Purdue rarely ran the ball. That’s scary, because Georgia actually will run the ball, which sets up their play-action passing game. Obviously, I won’t be expecting Missouri to shut Georgia out. But they can’t let Georgia do anything they want. Hold them to 35 or under, and I think you take your chances with the offense finding ways to score.
 
Win the turnover battle. Keep penalties to a minimum. Obvious things in a game against a team with superior talent.
 
One more note on the defense. When they have the opportunity to get off the field, they have to get off the field. Through three games, Georgia is 11th in the country in third down conversion percentage at 52.38% (Missouri is 10th at 52.78%, so we got that going for us, which is nice). You can’t let Georgia consistently convert in 3rd-and-long situations. If it’s 3rd-and-8, they need to find a way to get a stop and get off the field.
 
The Purdue game is over. It was ugly, but in the end, to quote Dominic Toretto (it’s 2018, if you don’t know who that is, for Christ’s sake watch The Fast and The Furious­), “It doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile, winning’s winning.”
 
The Tigers no longer have the Georgia game looming over them. Georgia week is here, and the Tigers are 3-0, just as they wanted, maybe needed to be.
 
Now all the Tigers can do is move forward and play like they have nothing to lose.
 
Because honestly, they don’t.

By Jackson Meyer

About Purdue

Passing Attack:
The passing attack has really been quite underwhelming for the Boilermakers so far. Purdue passes at a rate of 202.5 yards per game. Starting quarterback Elijah Sindelar has two passing touchdowns on the year, but he also has thre interceptions. In Sindelar’s first game against Northwestern, he threw for 196 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions. An underwhelming performance for Sindelar to say the least.

Backup David Blough contributed as he threw 12 for 16 on the day for 74 yards. In the Boilermakers' last game against Eastern Michigan, the passing game went absolutely nowhere as the combo of Sindelar and Blough combined for 135 yards on the day, with Sindelar throwing for a touchdown.

So far through the two games for the Boilermakers, its easily noticed that (at least so far) the passing game is definitely not a strength of the offense.

Run Game:
The run game has been the strength of the offense for the Boilermakers. So far, they are averaging 271.5 yards per game on the ground and that makes Purdue the 19th best team in rushing yards per game in the nation. In Purdue’s first game of the year, Rondale Moore, a very impressive freshman, ran for 79 yards on two carries.

Moore is actually a wide receiver, but he carried the ball twice. The Boilermakers ran for a total of 202 yards vs Northwestern. In the second game of the year against Eastern Michigan, they ran for 341 yards, but it wasn’t enough as the Boilermakers lost 20-19.

Obviously, this is the strength of the Boilermakers offense and is definitely something to look out for Saturday night.

Pass Defense:
The pass defense for Purdue has been average this year. The Boilermakers allowed 235 yards passing in the air against Northwestern, did not allow any touchdowns and did not have a turnover. Eastern Michigan was a completely different story, as the Eagles threw for 347 yards against the Boilermakers. If Eastern Michigan can throw for 347 yards against Purdue, imagine what Drew Lock could end up doing Saturday.

Run Defense:
Purdue’s run defense has been decent this year though they are allowing 121.5 yards per game. In the first week against Northwestern, the Boilermakers allowed 172 yards on the ground. The starting running back for the Wildcats, Jeremy Larkin had a pretty good game on the ground as he ran for 143 yards on 26 carries.

When the Boilermakers faced off against Eastern Michigan, again it was a different story, as the Boilermakers only allowed 71 yards and did a good job of letting the Eastern Michigan run game go absolutely nowhere. But Mizzou is no Eastern Michigan. When Purdue played Northwestern they allowed a good chunk of yardage, so this could be good for Missouri’s ground game.

About Mizzou

Pass Game:
Boy, Drew Lock is off to a good start this year, as is Emanuel Hall. I don’t even know where to get started in this section as the pass game is clicking on all cylinders. Drew Lock is off to a great start as he has passed for 8 touchdowns, 687 yards, no interceptions and a 74% completion percentage through two games. The Lock to Hall connection is back, and better than ever as Hall has 342 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. Also, another notable thing so far is that Derek Dooley still implements the play-action crossing route to Albert O or Kendall Blanton that no team can seem to stop.

Mizzou had two touchdowns off that one play against Wyoming, with one to Albert O and one to Kendall Blanton. Drew Lock has looked better when it comes to his decision-making and not making too many risky throws. Also, the offensive line has done a great job of protecting Lock as they have allowed no sacks so far this year. If Eastern Michigan can throw for 312 yards against Purdue, just imagine what Lock has the potential to do.

Run Game:
Disappointing. I feel like that’s what most Tiger fans are saying so far this year. The bar was set to the sky for the run game this year, but so far the Tigers are not executing on the ground like most people thought they would. Against pitiful competition in UT-Martin, Crockett, Rountree, and Badie only combined for 132 yards on the ground.

Considering how high the bar was set it was a very underwhelming performance. The Tigers only had two runs of 10 yards or more. Against Wyoming, it was more of the same. The Tigers averaged just under four yards per carry. The run game hasn’t been really bad so far, but its lacking the big explosive runs that we all expected to see. The run game will face a test with Purdue as Purdue’s run defense has proved to be decent.

Pass Defense:
The pass defense has looked tremendously better than last year. The Tigers only allowed 168 yards passing against UT-Martin. Yes, you might be thinking well that’s not great competition, but it’s still impressive to say the least, considering last year the secondary looked terrible against Missouri State.

Against Wyoming, the pass defense looked even better. The Tigers held Tyler Vander Waal to just 160 yards passing on the day, and held him to a 46% completion percentage. The Boilermakers' passing game looks to be a weakness so far, so if the secondary can play like they have been, then this could get ugly.

Run Defense:
The run defense has also stepped up from last year as well, as the Tigers are allowing 91 yards per game on the ground. Against the Skyhawks, the Tigers allowed 94 yards on the ground, with leading rusher Ladarius Galloway only running for 31 yards.

Against the Cowboys it was even better as the D-line held them to only 88 yards rushing. Obviously, this week will be tougher, especially since Purdue has been good on the ground through the two games they have played.

Keys to the game:
1. Stop Purdue’s run game:
Purdue has proved to be good on the ground as they are averaging 271 yards. Mizzou has been good against the run, but they really haven’t played against a good running game. If Purdue keeps up the trend they have had with their pass game and Mizzou takes away the run game, then this one could get ugly.

2. Get the run game going:
So far, the ground game has been pretty disappointing. It going to be hard for the Tigers this week as Purdue has proved to have a relatively good defense against the run. Although the potential is there, the Tigers just haven’t executed. We have a great offensive line and great running backs in Crockett and Rountree, so what is going on? Unfortunately, that is unknown but the Tigers have to have a better ground game this week so that they can make Drew Lock's job easier.

Prediction:
This week will be tougher of course, as it is a road game and Purdue is hungry for a win. But Mizzou is hungry for revenge. The game will be a competitive one, but the Tigers will put the game away late in the third quarter. Drew Lock will have a great day through the air, and Emanuel Hall will have a 100-yard day. The run offense will be a bit better having more than 150 yards on the ground.

Mizzou: 38, Purdue:21

By Joe Cody

Mizzou is 2-0. Drew Lock is doing everything he was supposed to and more, including trucking defenders. The defense looks like they have gotten their shit together and are swarming the ball and most importantly tackling. So, everything is good in Columbia, right? Reading Twitter during the first quarter of the Wyoming game, you wouldn’t think so. But then again, the world is always burning in the echo chamber of horror that is the internet.
 
Yes, the running game is less than spectacular at this point, averaging 3.9 yards a carry as a team, and work-horses Crockett and Rountree only have a combined 207 rushing yards. Yes, Tucker McCann has a 66.7% FG percentage. Yes, the defense is not getting as many turnovers as we would like to see against inferior opponents.
 
But Mizzou is doing everything they needed to and more through the first two games. They have remained healthy, they have shown improvements on almost every side of the ball compared to last year at this point, and have not been challenged against two inferior opponents. I actually think this team is better than expected and therefore the ceiling should rise considering the crap shoot that is the SEC East. It is now conceivable this team can win 9 or 10 games. This is not the same team as 2017. There should be no better example of the progress made than the game this week in West Lafayette, Indiana against the Purdue Boilermakers.
 
The first game against a Power 5 school in 2018 features a match-up of two programs going opposite directions so far. Purdue does not have a true starting QB, going back and forth between David Blough and Elijah Sindelar. Missouri features a Heisman candidate who will end his career in the top three for passing TDs in SEC history. The Boilermakers have 405 total passing yards for the season while Drew Lock alone has thrown for 687. Purdue’s offense seems like a traditional Big 10 opponent who is built around the run, with three different players having more than 100 yards rushing already, and average nearly 272 yards rushing per game. We know how Mizzou’s running game has done so far. Purdue is 0-2, losing to Northwestern and Eastern Michigan in close games. Mizzou is 2-0.
 
So, can Mizzou win against Purdue?
 
Yes. And they should win easily. This is not the same team that torched Missouri at home last year. They appear to be especially suspect in the secondary, giving up 291 yards per game and only forcing one turnover in two games. It appears Mizzou has learned how to tackle and we would expect Ryan Walters and Brick Haley to amplify pressure up front on Purdue, plugging gaps to stop the run and force the Boilermakers to throw the ball. We should expect Drew Lock to keep up his fantastic numbers and Emanuel Hall will continue to show his versatility, getting behind defenses with an expanded route tree and showing why he may be one of the best WR in the SEC. While I would be surprised to see Mizzou win by the three to four touchdown margins we have had the first two weeks simply because of improve athletes and more depth from a Big 10 school, Mizzou should easily cover the 7-point spread and have this game in hand going into the 4th quarter.
 
Mizzou should absolutely be 3-0 heading into the biggest game of the season, a morning match-up against the no. 3 Georgia Bulldogs in Columbia. The Tigers will have had nearly a month to address any issues and make changes necessary to compete in the East. On the 22nd, we will see if Coach Odom has them up for the task. 

By Benjamin Herrold

It rained Saturday in Columbia, which probably curtailed the tailgate scene some. Giving credit, or blame, to my agrarian upbringing, in my mind rainy days are good days, money making days, and so there I was Saturday morning with my friends, rain pelting my rain jacket hood as we set up tailgate tents. Sometimes you’ve just got to decide you’re going to have a good time.

As fun as our tailgate was — and folks, eating a steak and watching college football while your friend “invents” drinks by adding Wild Turkey to things is pretty fun — the Missouri Tigers put on the real show, parading in the rain and beating Wyoming 40-13.

Wyoming is not a great opponent, but they are decent, a big step up from the glorified scrimmage against Tennessee-Martin. Their coach, Craig Bohl, is a shrewd tactician who won approximately 38 FCS national championships at North Dakota State. They might not have power-conference caliber personnel, especially in the secondary, but they’re well coached and a respectable test for any offense.

Missouri passed the test. Drew Lock had a huge night, passing for 398 yards and, presumably because he knows what the Heisman voters like, ran for 51 yards and a touchdown as well.

Wyoming is limited on offense, but the Missouri defense passed the test with no drama, moving on to bigger challenges in the coming weeks.

Sure, it was an odd night. It was a pretty chilly evening for early September, so it didn’t exactly feel like a typical early season non-conference game. Then there was the rolling ceiling of gray clouds over the stadium, which lit up as the sun broke through just before it set, giving the impression that the sun was rising instead of setting. And, of course, there was Missouri’s epic botched extra point attempt, which may have been impacted by rogue firework smoke, and led to a wild, enduring scramble for the lose ball that looked like an early version of football the Native Americans taught the pilgrims at the First Thanksgiving.

So maybe I wasn’t totally in my regular frame of mind, but I couldn’t help but start dreaming a little dream about how good this Tiger team could be. I’m sure this game got other Missouri fans thinking the same thing. Drew throwing those sweet passes, Emanuel Hall racking up receiving yards, the defense looking a little more hard-nosed than in years past.

Really all that matters against the likes of Tennessee-Martin and Wyoming is holding serve and getting the win. But Missouri has held serve as forcefully as Roger Federer at Wimbledon.

Georgia is obviously the favorite in the SEC East, and on Saturday they dispassionately mauled South Carolina while I ate that steak and my friend concocted a “Turk-mosa.” The Dawgs are formidable and might just smash every division opponent, but on Saturday I let myself think about what it would be like if the Tigers pulled the upset on September 22nd.
​
We’ll know way more about this Missouri team in about 14 days. It’s perilous to read too much into slaughtering overmatched opponents, but so far the Tigers have definitely shown some potential.

By Jackson Meyer

Well, the Tigers sure did follow up from last week. Missouri started slow but finished strong and capped off the night with a 40-13 win over the Wyoming Cowboys, and walked off Faurot Field 2-0 on the year. I will be going into detail of how each unit did and give a final verdict for each as well. 

Quarterbacks: 
Well, there is only one quarterback we need to talk about and that would be the great Drew Lock. Drew was on fire as he threw for a total of 398 yards with 33 completions on 45 attempts. He tacked on four passing touchdowns and also, very surprisingly, a rushing touchdown. We also got to see some wheels on Lock as he ran for 51 yards and in the 3rd quarter had a 27-yard read option run. I think the thing that has been noticeable for Drew is that his completion percentage numbers have looked very impressive these past two games. 

Last week vs UT-Martin, he was 19 for 25 which amounts to a 76% completion percentage. Tonight he had a 73% completion percentage. That’s something that I feel is very surprising as Lock has been a mid to high 50’s guy when it comes to his completion percentage. 

Verdict: Heisman, here he comes.

Running Backs: 
This week was actually very similar to last week when it came to the run game for the Tigers. No explosive runs, but the team still had 203 yards of total rushing. Demarea Crockett led all rushers with 73 yards on 19 carries. Tyler Badie added 46 yards with 11 carries, and Rountree tacked on 34 yards on 10 carries. Drew Lock was the second leading rusher for your Tigers as he ran for 51 yards on the night on five attempts. 

If anything, I think the Tigers had a decent night on the ground, but we are still yet to see a big explosive run. Quite disappointing really if you think about how high the bar was set for the offensive line and the running backs. Yet still, decent night on the ground for the Tigers and excited to see if anything can improve next week. 

Verdict: Could use improvement but nothing to be highly concerned about. 

Receiving Corps: Like I said in my pregame overview this unit was what I was most excited for this year and boy the receiving corps did not disappoint. Emmanuel Hall was unstoppable tonight as he had 171 yards receiving on 10 catches, and also had a touchdown. Every time he steps on the field, Hall manages to look better and I would not be surprised if he starts getting some well deserved NFL attention. 

Johnathan Johnson also had 61 yards on seven catches with a TD grab. Albert Okwuegbunam had 50 yards on 7 catches tonight. He also had a touchdown grab that was very nice as he made a leaping catch and held on to the ball as he was hit from behind in the end zone. Nate Brown had one reception for 27 yards on the night as well. Kendall Blanton also had a touchdown reception. The Mizzou receiving corps has been highly impressive this year and might just be the best in the SEC. 

Verdict: Best receiving corps since the 2013-2014 season.

Offensive Line: 
The offensive line had yet again another very solid night. No sacks allowed for the unit and did a very good job at giving Drew Lock time to read the defense and get rid of the ball when he needed to. The Wyoming defensive line looked like little kids compared to the offensive line that averages 320 pounds. 

Not too much to say about the unit as a whole other than they had a solid night, and got the job done. 
Verdict: A solid unit as a whole and has tons of potential. 

Defensive Line: The defensive line improved upon their sort of average performance from week one. They did a very good job at getting to Vander Wall on the night and it really played crucial. The unit limited the Cowboys rushing attack to only 88 yards in total. 

Luckily the Cowboys did not have Nico Evans as he looked to be a very crucial part of the offense for the Cowboys. Chris Turner had his first sack of the year and hopefully many more to come as he looks to have a lot of potential as an edge rusher. 

Verdict: Improved from last year.
 
Linebackers: 
The linebackers looked solid tonight. Senior Terez Hall had four tackles tonight for the Tigers. He also did a very impressive job of getting to the quarterback and getting a few good hits on Vander Waal. Brandon Lee had three tackles of his own tonight and looked solid as well, but later in the game he was ejected due to a targeting penalty in the second half and will have to sit out in the first half vs Purdue next week. 

Cale Garrett also added two tackles on the night for Mizzou. 

Verdict: Solid unit with good veteran leadership. 

Secondary: 
Boy, the secondary looked yet again impressive tonight. Overall a very solid performance and really something that I was worried about, going into the game. The unit played very clean as a whole and looked prepared tonight with no blown coverage plays tonight except all but one in the fourth quarter that really did not matter. 

DeMarkus Acy had an impressive performance tonight as he had a couple good pass breakups and had one tackle. Adam Sparks stood out to me as well as he seemed to really stick like glue to whoever he was covering. I think Sparks is a guy that has a lot of potential and could be a game changer for the Tigers later in his career. 

Verdict: Might be the strength of the defense as a whole. 

Special Teams: 
Not really much to mention here. Tucker McCann was 2/4 on the night with a career high 50-yard field goal. Corey Fatoney wasn’t needed much at all as he had two punts on the night but both ended up inside the 20. 

Verdict: Nothing too special

By Jackson Meyer

Your Missouri tigers (1-0) Will be taking on the Wyoming Cowboys (1-1) this Saturday night at 6 o'clock.

About Wyoming: Their first game came against the vaunted New Mexico State Aggies. Wyoming had no trouble as the Cowboys defeated the Aggies 29-7 on the road. Wyoming’s bread and butter is their run game. Three ball carriers for the Cowboys accounted for 306 combined rushing yards on the night, with Nico Evans being the leading rusher has he ran for 190 yards on 24 attempts averaging 7.9 yards per carry. Xazavian Valladay contributed as well, as he ran for 61 yards on 17 attempts, and Jevon Bigelow had 55 yards on 12 carries. Starting quarterback Tyler Vander Wall completed 13 passes on 21 attempts for 137 yards. As for the defense for the Cowboys. The run defense looks to be a force this year as they allowed -9 yards to the Aggies. Yes, you read that right, and no you are not dyslexic. -9 YARDS.

In their second game of the season, the Cowboys faced off against Washington State. After the game against New Mexico State, you would think that Wyoming would maybe keep it close but that was not the case as they were steamrolled 41-19. The pass defense was horrendous as Gardner Minshew threw for 319 yards, 3 TD and 1 interception on 38 completions out of 57 attempts.

The run defense looked decent as the Cowboys allowed 103 yards rushing to the Cougars. As for the offense, the run game looked to be the best part of the offense yet again as they had a total of 143 yards rushing with Nico Evans running for 89 yards on 18 attempts.

As for the passing game… PITIFUL. Tyler Vander Wall completed 8 passes on 20 attempts for a massive total of 67 yards. He was unable to find the end zone but he was able to find the defenders hands as he threw an interception. The run game will be something to look out for, but I don’t think we will have to worry about Wyoming’s vaunted passing attack.

About Missouri: Our beloved Tigers played UT-Martin last Saturday and did exactly what they were supposed to do, as they rolled over the Skyhawks 51-14. If anything proved disappointing, one could quibble with the pass rush. The Tigers had no sacks and really not a whole lot of pressure towards the quarterback, so the D-Line did not look as strong as maybe some would think. But even though the Tigers did not have any sacks, the run defense was there as the Tigers allowed 94 yards rushing.

Now let’s get to the secondary; aside from one blown-coverage play, the unit that most impressed me. The Tigers only allowed 168 yards passing as Dresser Winn was 15/24 on the day. It was the first time in the Barry Odom era that the Tigers looked prepared. I think that was a very important thing to take out of this game. As for the Tiger offense, Mr. Heisman, Drew Lock did not miss a beat as he threw for 289 yards on 19/25 for the senior. He also tacked on four touchdowns.

The run game was actually quite underwhelming to say the least. Crockett and Rountree combined for 100 yards as Tyler Badie added 32 yards on 10 attempts for the day. The Tigers only averaged 3.5 yards per carry. The receiving corps is what I am most excited for. Emmanuel hall caught 4 passes for 171 yards and tacked on 2 touchdowns. Freshman Kam Scott’s first reception was a acrobatic 70-yard touchdown grab that was highly impressive. Johnathan Johnson also added a touchdown catch to the mix.

In general the receiving corps looks very good this year for the Tigers. The O-Line played well for the Tigers, as they did not allow Drew Lock to be sacked. But they could have done better with finishing blocks on the run plays. As for the Tiger offense, you should NOT be worried. Three keys to the game:

1. Stop Wyoming’s running attack: This Saturday, the D-Line will have to be prepared for the run game and so will the linebackers, as Wyoming has proved that their run game is no joke.
2. Run game must be more explosive this week: After a underwhelming performance on Saturday, as Crockett and Rountree only combined for 100 yards, the run game will have to be much more effective this week. The goal should be just around the 5.0 yards per carry mark for the Tigers this week.
3. Pressure Vander Wall: The Tigers need to get to the quarterback. Its very crucial as Vander Wall has shown (at least so far) that he is not any close to Josh Allen. He has not played very well in the two games he has played, and if the D-Line can pressure him, he can make some crucial mistakes.

Prediction: Missouri: 42, Wyoming 17: The Tigers will come out triumphant as Drew Lock will throw for 300+ yards and the run game will look much better this week. The defense will play well but give up 100+ yards rushing to the Cowboys. Missouri should have no problem this week and will walk out of Faurot Field (2-0) on the year.

By Joe Cody

​The 2018 college football season is officially underway and while some things change, some stay the same. Mizzou came out firing on (mostly) all cylinders against an overmatched FCS opponent and did what they had to, unlike last season. While Mizzou came out and did what they needed to, Kansas and Tennessee went out and did what they were meant to do, crap the bed and lose games is different but equally spectacular fashions.
 
However, since Bill Self is a gutless coward who needs to spend more time understanding attorney-client privilege than wrapping his head around playing Mizzou, and the Tigers are not lucky enough to play the Volunteers every week, we focus on this week’s opponent, the Wyoming Cowboys.
 
The Wyoming Cowboys are most recently known for producing future NFL 1st round draft bust Josh Allen, a QB with a monster arm and amazingly mediocre 15-9 record against FBS schools. Now that he is gone, what can we expect against a Mizzou football team that looks to continue to build momentum as it heads into the more difficult part of its schedule? Well, Wyoming has played two games already, a 29-7 win against New Mexico State and a 41-19 loss to Washington State. Looking at the box scores (because I am not going to watch two Wyoming football games), it appears they have not replaced Josh Allen and their offense is built around the rush. They have averaged 225 yards rushing in their first two games compared to a measly 102 yards passing.
 
Defensively, we should not take much out of the NMSU game so let’s focus on Washington State. The Cougars air raid offense put up 394 yards total offense with 319 of those coming through the air. The Cougars QB, who transferred from a school with the Pirates as a mascot which is why coach Mike Leach wanted him, threw for three touchdowns and appears to have torched the Cowboy defense. Wyoming did lead this game 16-13 at halftime, but Washington State put up 21 in the 4th to pull away with the comfortable win.
 
So, now we wonder, can Mizzou win against Wyoming?
 
Much like the UT-Martin game, they better damn well win. The Tigers appear to have the advantage at almost every position and should match up well against the strengths of the Cowboys. The Cowboys appear to be weak on passing defense so you would expect the talented Drew Lock to shred Wyoming and put up big numbers with what could be a deep WR pool for the Tigers. It will be up to the Mizzou front seven to stop the Cowboy rushing attack and force them to pass. Additionally, leading Cowboy rusher Nico Evans appears to have suffered a rib injury and is listed as questionable this week. Even if he does play, he may not be 100 percent, putting more pressure on the Cowboys to sustain any offensive presence.
 
We would like to see Mizzou use this opportunity to develop some sort of consistent pass rush after only recording two sacks against an overwhelmed UT-Martin offensive line. We also would like to see Mizzou’s running game establish themselves as dominant, big play threats. Mizzou should head into Purdue a comfortable 2-0 and look to avenge last year’s embarrassing loss to the Boilermakers.