Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz argues with referees in the first half of a game against Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (CAL TOBIAS/ROCK M NATION)
Mizzou, SEC, and national college football preview for Week Ten.
Each Friday, I will grace these electronic pages to preview the week ahead in college football with my “Three by Three.” I’ll take a gander at three interesting things each in the Mizzou matchup, in the SEC, and around the nation.
Mizzou vs Bye Week
Brady Cook’s Health
As the Tigers head into the third and final trimester, nothing matters more than Brady Cook’s health. Without another competent FBS quarterback on the roster, the difference between Mizzou limping to the finish line vs finishing strong hangs solely in the balance of Brady’s body. We are all hoping for a pleasant surprise next week Saturday night against Oklahoma.
Skill Position Renaissance
Perhaps the most disappointing part of Mizzou’s season has been the lackluster play from the skill position players. Tight end has been nothing. Luther and Theo have had flashes of greatness, but also disappeared at times. They are struggling in the offense’s lack of quality infrastructure, but also, they’re supposed to be the infrastructure, you know? Nate Noel has been excellent when healthy. The Tigers need this crew to have their best all-around month of the season.
Defensive depth
Injuries keep piling up on defense, stressing the depth. Two ends have been lost for the year and a linebacker. Practically the entire safety room was banged up last week. Corey Flagg and Johnny Walker have played well recently, and Toriano Pride and Nick DeLoach improved from earlier in the season, too. The pieces are still here for a good final month, although the names may be different than the ones we thought we would call in August.
In the SEC
Vanderbilt at Auburn — 11:45 AM on SECN
It is time for round three of Jerry Kill and Diego Pavia looking to embarrass Hugh Freeze again. Freeze has spent a decade in the spotlight making himself a punchline, and the Commodores are ready to add another riff to the joke. In 2022 Kill’s New Mexico State team rode Pavia to a shocking blowout of a Liberty squad coached by Freeze. They doubled up last year by clobbering Freeze’s first Auburn squad. Now they have relocated to Vanderbilt, and once again find themselves a chance to do the funniest thing possible.
Florida vs Georgia (in Jacksonville, FL) — 2:30 PM on ABC
Steve Spurrier used to love running it up against Georgia in the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. The former Gator QB saved his best zings for Florida State and Tennessee, but when it came to Georgia, damn did he live to stick his finger in their eye. Now the opposite head coach has taken up the mantle of ex-player alum who takes this rivalry personally, running a 6-2 record with multiple blowout victories in this rivalry. But Florida hopes the big arm of freshman quarterback DJ Lagway can create enough explosive plays to keep them in it.
Ole Miss at Arkansas — 11 AM on ESPN
Ole Miss against Arkansas is one of those SEC matchups that just seems to get screwy; I think I blame Arkansas because they are half of the equation for many of the SEC traditional screwballs. A note: this is an early kick in Fayetteville in November, traditionally a sleepy spot, but modern gun season doesn’t open for another week. Expect a rowdy, full-throated crowd of Hog fans.
Around the Nation
Ohio State at Penn State — 11 AM on FOX
It’s the Game of the Century of the Week! Penn State tries to finally get over the elite team hump, but do they have the pieces to be anything more than just the best of the rest? Ohio State is incredible on paper, but some underlying metrics show non-elite play from their two lines.
To add some spice to this top-5 matchup, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard is a Pennsylvania native and talked trash this week from the lectern about not being recruited by the Nittany Lions. And Penn State QB Drew Allar didn’t finish last week’s game against Wisconsin, so there is drama around who will lead them onto the field.
Duke at Miami — 11 AM on ABC
Ostensibly there is very little interesting about this game on paper. Duke has a 6-2 record inflated by good luck and a punchy defense; its offense is 81st in SP+ but the D ranks 20th.
But there are two reasons to watch this game: firstly, any chance to see Miami quarterback Cam Ward ply his trade should be embraced. Secondly, Miami hates these sleepy noon spots, and has been known to botch a game or two like this. Wouldn’t it be something if that happened against Duke head coach Manny Diaz, who the ‘Canes ran out of town a few years ago?
Pittsburgh at SMU — 7 PM on ACCN
This is a matchup of a 7-1 SMU team and an undefeated 7-0 Pitt! It has legitimate ACC championship stakes. It is SMU’s biggest home game in three decades. Both starting quarterbacks are hurt but going to give it the ol’ college try. And yet somehow this feels like a basketball game that you watch the last seven minutes of on ESPN2 on like December 5th while waiting for the Gonzaga game to start.
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