After a homecoming matchup against Connecticut, Tennessee football heads on the road for the third time in four weeks to face Missouri.
Tennessee faces Missouri a week before they host defending national champion Georgia to Neyland Stadium. The Vols hope that game has SEC Championship ramifications which would make the matchup at Missouri a potential trap game.
Missouri faces Tennessee two weeks after its open date but just a week after facing Georgia in Athens.
So there’s challenges for each team with the date of the matchup but what does Missouri have on the field in Eliah Drinkwitz fourth season?
Let’s take a look at the Tigers here.
What Happened in 2022
Missouri’s season started extremely poorly, dropping four of its first six games including a blowout loss against Kansas State. But the Tigers steadied the ship with SEC wins over South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Arkansas to finish the regular season 6-6 and make a bowl game.
The Tigers season ended on a sour note, falling to Wake Forest in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Drinkwitz team showed some strides in his third season. The defense was significantly better than the season before and it showed in close losses against Florida, Georgia and Kentucky. But the offense, which Drinkwitz is known for, has still been average.
Missouri is rolling with quarterback Brady Cook again this season. Can he get the Tigers over the hump?
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2023 Offense Outlook
Cook is back as Missouri’s starter for the second consecutive season (though he did earn some starts during the 2021 season). Cook was average last season, completing 65% of his passes for 2,739 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
The St. Louis native isn’t going to lose you games but he also hasn’t been a difference maker that’s going to win you games. Could that change in his redshirt junior season? Possibly, but it doesn’t seem likely.
Including Cook, Missouri returns its top three rushers from last season. Like most teams, the Tigers have had a running back room by committee. Cody Schrader ran for 745 yards and Nathaniel Peat ran for 438 yards last season. Knoxville native Elijah Young was Missouri’s third running back last season but transferred to Western Kentucky this offseason.
Dominic Lovett was one of the nation’s most underrated receivers last year at Missouri, but he transferred to Georgia earlier this offseason. Lovett’s departure opens up an opportunity for former five-star Luther Burden to be the true No. 1 receiver.
Burden flashed his potential with 375 yards and six touchdowns in his freshman season. Oklahoma transfer Theo Wease Jr. and junior Mookie Cooper (298 yards) will also factor in the receiver room.
Missouri’s offensive line struggled last season but the Tigers attacked the portal hard, adding Marcellus Johnson and Cam’Ron Johnson.
2023 Defense Outlook
Missouri’s defense made radical improvements from 2022 to 2023 and was the main reason the Tigers made a bowl game. Still, the Tigers ranked just 56th nationally giving up just over 25 points per game.
Missouri’s defensive line took a big hit this offseason when they lost its top two sack leaders Isaiah McGuire (seven sacks) and DJ Coleman (4.5 sacks) to the NFL. Senior Darius Robinson is Missouri’s top returning sack man after totaling 3.5 last season.
The Tigers do return their top two linebackers from last season in Ty’Ron Hopper (74 tackles) and Chad Bailey (57 tackles).
In the back end of its defense Missouri returns four of five starters. The Tigers top two cornerbacks from last season, Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw, are back as are safeties Joseph Charleston and Jaylon Carlies.
Missouri returns the bulk of its starters on defense a season ago as they try to make the jump from good to great.
Prediction
Missouri has been the epitome of mediocrity under Eliah Drinkwitz. They’ve shown moderate improvement over his tenure but still seem a long ways away from the top of the conference.
But with a veteran defense and starting quarterback returning there’s reasons to believe Missouri could take a step forward to an 8-4 range.
Still, the Vols have rolled Missouri in each of Josh Heupel’s first two seasons. I think the Tigers will be more competitive this year against Tennessee but the Vols still pick up the win.
Tennessee 34, Missouri 24
