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Week Seven of the college football season arrives with Missouri looking to bounce back, a new rivalry for the SEC, and some massive games in the national slate.
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. I’ll try to hit some under-the-radar things, too, although this week’s slate is incredible at the top.
#21 Mizzou at UMass – 11 AM on ESPN2
Brady Cook’s Running
UMass is ostensibly an FBS program, but their quality is of an FCS team. There is very little the Tigers can do on the field that will translate to their matchups against SEC foes. Both lines of scrimmage will dominate, and the offensive weapons will look every bit as dynamic as we had hoped. But one player has shown a shockingly poor performance in an area where he usually thrives: Brady Cook’s running. In the past few weeks he has looked indecisive, unsure, and slow. This is a far cry from the attacking and physical style that he has usually displayed. No matter how many times he carries the ball or in what manner, I’d like to see a return of the confident, attacking Cook on the ground.
New Rotations
Last week, Eli Drinkwitz emptied his bench, searching for answers. Nic DeLoach got more playing time at cornerback, Mitchell Walters saw time on the offensive line, and the defensive line went deep into the youngsters. Were they just playing out the string in a lost cause, or will the staff reward young players with more playing time? If it’s the latter, we will see that start this week.
Restore the Good Vibes
The final score from College Station was a huge bummer, but you know what else was a bummer? Seeing the team sulk. Seeing their lack of energy and physicality on defense. Seeing the offense, in particular Luther Burden, usually so joyful and swaggering, mope about on the sideline. Restore the roar, fellas.
In the SEC
#1 Texas vs #18 Oklahoma (in Dallas, TX) – 2:30 PM on ABC
When people say “throw out the record books” in a rivalry, this is the kind of game they mean. It doesn’t seem to matter which program comes into Red River ranked higher, or more talented, or healthier. Texas, of course, is a complete team, the #1 team in the country, and Oklahoma is a one-sided team, with a strong defense and a lifeless offense. Texas has a fourth-year veteran quarterback with a full complement of excellent receivers; Oklahoma has a true freshman signal caller making his second career start, with a wide receiver group decimated by injuries. And you know what? It barely matters in this game.
Vanderbilt at Kentucky – 6:45 on SEC Network
Hell of a trick, Vanderbilt. Now can you do it again? The Commodores look like a legit football team and they are building something down in Nashville. With a quarterback as feisty as Diego Pavia, all bets are off for what Vanderbilt can achieve.
The ‘Dores could turn out flat against Kentucky, and make that Alabama win look like a fluke. Or they can show up and build even further on what they have already achieved. Kentucky is tough, but also beatable. The Wildcats are very dependent on a positive game state; get an early lead on them, and they will have difficult time digging out of the hole.
Florida at #8 Tennessee – 6 PM on ESPN
Josh Heupel’s Volunteers started off the season like gangbusters, and I was feeling great about my longshot bet on Nico Iamaleava to win the Heisman Trophy. But the offense has stagnated the last two times out, a win over Oklahoma and an inexplicable loss to Arkansas. Speaking of inexplicable losses, the Vols have a penchant for those against Florida; one here would be considerably ill-timed and would let the embattled Billy Napier off the hook. Florida’s best shot at the upset bid would probably be to let it fly with their own precocious quarterback prodigy DJ Lagway and get into a shootout. The arch-conservative Napier will sadly just stick with the limited veteran Graham Mertz.
Around the Nation
#18 Kansas State at Colorado – 9:15 on ESPN
The Wildcats head to Boulder for their third road game of the year, and they have been unimpressive away from the Little Apple. They will have to be careful here, as the Buffaloes are playing with a little more meat on the bone these days, the kind of play that backs up all their talking. Each should have a matchup advantage: Colorado and Shedeur Sanders should find things easy in the air against a poor K-State secondary. And the Wildcats should be able to plow ahead on the ground against a mediocre Colorado rush defense.
#2 Ohio State at #3 Oregon – 6:30 on NBC
While I do enjoy writing about Group of Five hipster games for y’all in here, sometimes the game between the two big shiny helmet teams is simply too good. That’s what we have here as Ohio State heads to Autzen Stadium in a clash of Top 5 teams. Ohio State has been sleepily dominant to start the year; they have yet to play a close game but also have yet to really flex their muscle. Oregon overcame a pair of close games out of the gate, but have been turning it on — and getting healthier in the trench — ever since. I am excited to see if one or both of these will show a truly dominant, elite level effort for 60 minutes.
#17 Boise State at Hawaii – 10 PM on CBSSN
Getting older robs you of many things. Your hairline. Your general vim and vigor. Your ability to stay up late for the Hawaii game. Yes, this is my confessional that as I cross two decades from my college years, I haven’t stayed up for the Hawaii game in a couple seasons. This one might change that. Any chance to watch Boise’s astonishing Ashton Jeanty should be cherished, as he stockpiles eye-popping yardage statistics.
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