3×3: The Week Ahead for Mizzou, the SEC, and National CFB

Dec 20, 2024 | Uncategorized

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2024 SEC Championship - Georgia v Texas
Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

The transfer portal is still roaring and Mizzou is quite active in it. Around the nation, the playoffs kick off. Plus some other fun games!

Each Friday of this college football season, I grace these electronic pages to preview the weekend ahead in college football with my “Three by Three.” This week, I take a gander at three interesting things each in the Mizzou transfer portal world, in the SEC, and around the nation with the beginning of the playoffs.

Mizzou’s Transfer Portal

Ahmad Hardy

Missouri lost 2024 recruit Kewan Lacey to Ole Miss in the transfer portal, then immediately replaced him with a stud from the same signing class, Ahmad Hardy from Louisiana-Monroe. Hardy was one the best ballcarriers in the country last year, making a name for himself as a tackle-breaking machine. Want to get excited for 2025? Go watch his highlights on YouTube. Enjoy.

QB and OL chase

Wanna get nervous about next season though? Talk about a sweat. We are (almost) two weeks into the portal, and Mizzou has yet to find a new quarterback, or the big men who will protect him. I trust these players are coming, but it’s getting to be in the “now or never” window. The Tigers are hot on the heels of Penn State backup signal caller Beau Pribula, who would fit well in the scheme. These dominoes need to start falling, and soon.

Defensive depth

However, on the other side of the ball, I am starting to feel great about the caliber of quality depth being assembled. Both defensive line and cornerback have most contributors returning. The staff has already snagged two safeties, including Mose Phillips from Virginia Tech, who should slot right into a starting role alongside Daylan Carnell and Marvin Burks. And the most exciting part is linebacker, where Josiah Trotter brings his NFL bloodlines to Columbia fresh off of being one of the best freshmen in the country. The cupboard is quickly restocked.

In the SEC

Florida vs Tulane — 2:30 PM Friday on ESPN2 (Gasparilla Bowl)

All in all, Florida vs Tulane is a land of contrasts. The Gators have a powerful roster but somehow always seem to do less with more under Billy Napier. Tulane is a buttoned-up and sound team under Jon Sumrall. But, the Gators were white hot in November, catching fire with precocious young QB DJ Lagway at the helm. Tulane stumbled down the stretch, losing a pair of blowouts to end their season, and now QB Darian Mensah has portalled out. This game features a lot of fun athletes and should be one of the more exciting pre-Christmas, non-playoff bowls.

Clemson at Texas — 3 PM Saturday on TNT

Yes, that’s right, TNT. Charles Barkley is not on the call, but this is an ESPN production that bumped a Saturday afternoon showing of, like, The Last Jedi or something. Quarterbacks Cade Klubnik and Quinn Ewers were high school rivals, but maybe Arch Manning steals the show. Texas’s defense is the best unit in this game, and I’m not sure how Clemson’s offense can reliably threaten to score.

Tennessee at Ohio State — 7 PM Saturday on ABC

Now this is blockbuster. Two teams that didn’t even make their conference championship games clash in the best matchup of the first round, and the Volunteer fans are hyped beyond belief. Tennessee’s beastly defensive line should wreak havoc against an Ohio State front missing two starters, but will the Vols offense find enough to juice to make it stand up?

Around the Nation

Indiana at Notre Dame — 7 PM Friday on ABC

The first ever 12-team playoff field kicks off with the bluest of bluebloods hosting an upstart team from their own state. Indiana knocking off Notre Dame would be an incredible moment for the sport. Curt Cignetti’s team might have just enough veteran playmakers and razor-sharp coaching to execute the underdog script and pull it off. His roster of Hoosier holdovers and former James Madison stars has a chance to achieve something special, but in the end, Notre Dame likely has too much along the lines of scrimmage.

SMU at Penn State — 11 AM on TNT

This game is the one most likely to get boring. SMU lost to Clemson in their first game stepping up a weight class, and this one is another step higher. There’s a chance the Nittany Lions just sit on the Mustangs. Or maybe James Franklin has another Small Game James moment in him, and SMU can pull off the upset. QB Kevin Jennings is the kind of dynamic, dual threat playmaker that keeps possessions alive and gives an upset-minded Cinderella a chance to dance.

FCS Playoffs

If the early games on Saturday turn out to be an uncompetitive affair, the FCS games should be humdingers. The expansive bracket at that level creates a tournament where the early rounds are generally laughers, followed by epic showdowns in the final two rounds. That’s what is on deck, with South Dakota taking on Montana State in the afternoon. If things get snoozey in Happy Valley, North Dakota State vs South Dakota State is a nice consolation prize in the noon window on ABC.

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