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For every Tiger game day this year, we'll get you up to speed before kickoff in Game Day Central. We'll catch you up on all the news of the week, hit on the keys of the game, provide audio and video previews and offer up some predictions. Here is everything you need to know about today's game against Tennessee.
KICKOFF INFORMATION
TIME: 1:30 p.m. Central
LOCATION: War Memorial Stadium (capacity 54,120), Little Rock, AR
TV: CBS (Carter Blackburn, Aaron Taylor, Rick Neuheisel)
RADIO: Tiger Radio Network -- Click here for a list of affiliates
POINT SPREAD: Missouri by 13.5
SERIES: Missouri leads 7-3
LAST MEETING: Missouri won 38-0 in 2018
GAME WEEK HEADLINES
Following the Future | Pinson's start shows maturation | Week 12 Depth Chart |
Monday Morning Thoughts | Odom's Press Conference | Media Day Notes |
Live: Mizzou vs Butler | Butler solves Tiger defense | Photos: Mizzou vs Butler |
And One: Butler bullies the Tigers | Appeals committee upholds postseason ban
NCAA releases decision | Mizzou reaction to decision | Audio: Sterk, Cartwright |
Leaders blast NCAA, forge ahead | What went wrong? |
Impact on Odom's Future | Opening minutes sink MU vs Sooners |
Photos: Mizzou vs Oklahoma | And One: Oklahoma | Macadoodle's Mailbag |
BREAKING DOWN THE MATCHUPS
When Missouri has the ball:
Everyone knows about the struggles of the Missouri offense the second half of the season. After scoring 31 points or more in each of the first six games, the Tigers have failed to top 20 points in any of the five games since. Kelly Bryant has been both injured and indecisive, the receiving corps has generally failed to get open downfield and the offensive line has created next to no room to run. But as bad as Missouri’s offense has been, the Arkansas defense has been worse. The Razorbacks rank fifth-to-last nationally in scoring defense, allowing 38 points per game. They rank No. 118 out of 130 teams in total defense, surrendering more than 460 yards per contest. Since its season-opening win over FCS Portland St., Arkansas has given up more than 400 yards of offense in every game but one and has allowed more than 600 total yards in two of the past three games. A week ago against No. 1 LSU, the Razorbacks gave up … wait for it ... 12.8 yards per play. Arkansas has been particularly bad against the run, allowing 228.6 yards per game on the ground. Missouri needs to pound the ball early and often with tailbacks Larry Rountree III and Tyler Badie and its offense should be able to move the ball. ADVANTAGE: Missouri
When Arkansas has the ball
The Razorback offense has been better than the defense this season, but not by a ton. Arkansas ranks No. 106 nationally in total offense at 349 yards per game and No. 107 in scoring offense at just over 22 points per contest. The biggest issue for the Razorbacks has been inconsistency at the quarterback position. Over the course of the past three games, six different Arkansas players have attempted a pass. None has been particularly effective. Only one Arkansas quarterback, Nick Starkel, has completed more than 50 percent of his passes, but he has also thrown 10 interceptions versus seven touchdowns on the season. As a team, Arkansas is tied for the sixth-most interceptions in the country at 15. Missouri will likely have to prepare for some combination of Starkel, K.J. Jefferson, John Stephen Jones and Jack Lindsey, and while it may pose a slight challenge to game plan for that many potential passers, the Tiger pass defense should be poised to bounce back from two straight rough games. ADVANTAGE: Missouri
KEYS TO A MISSOURI WIN
1. Run the ball. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Missouri’s offensive slide during the second half of the season has been the ineffectiveness of a running game some expected to be among the best in the SEC. The Tigers have failed to top 100 yards on the ground in three straight contests. During that stretch, they’ve averaged a dismal 2.2 yards per carry. That in turn has put extra pressure on a banged up Bryant and ineffective receiving corps. However, those last three games have all come against much better run defenses than Arkansas’, which ranks No. 125 nationally. Establishing the ground game would cure a lot of ills for Missouri’s offense, especially in a game that is forecasted to be chilly and rainy.
2. Get back to the pass defense of the first nine weeks. For much of the season, Missouri’s pass defense was one of the biggest surprises in the conference, with the Tigers leaping from No. 112 nationally against the pass last season as high as No. 4 this year. But in the past two weeks, Missouri has surrendered 745 total passing yards and 9.7 yards per attempt. If Arkansas is able to hit on a few big plays through the air, it would put extra pressure on Missouri’s struggling offense.
3. Start fast. Missouri actually broke a trend last Saturday when it kicked a field goal on its opening possession. Prior to that, the Tigers’ opponent had scored first in six games in a row. In the previous four games, Missouri went three-and-out on its first offensive possession. Getting on the scoreboard early will be important Friday, as it would allow the Tiger offense to establish a rhythm and not be forced to throw the ball 40 times.
GAME DAY PROP BETS*
*You cannot actually bet on these and even if you can, we are not encouraging you to do so. This is for entertainment purposes only.
Connor Bazelak snaps 7.5 — Mitchell under, Gabe under
Touchdowns for Mizzou wide receivers 0.5 — Mitchell over, Gabe under
Missouri offensive yards 349.5 — Mitchell over, Gabe over
Jordan Elliott sacks 1.5 — Mitchell under, Gabe over
Rakeem Boyd rushing yards 99.5 — Mitchell under, Gabe under
POWERMIZZOU PREDICTIONS
Mitchell Forde: I understand how futile Missouri has been over the past five weeks and that a team that lost to Vanderbilt is capable of losing to everyone. Plus, with this week’s news that the team doesn’t have the postseason to play for, motivation is a concern. If Missouri comes out and looks flat or disinterested, it could well lose. But I can’t pick Arkansas to beat anybody. This is a Razorback team that has lost 18 SEC games in a row. The last four of those losses have come by an average of 39.5 points per game. They have also lost to Western Kentucky and San Jose State this season. Arkansas gave up on this season long ago and will have to keep waiting for its first SEC win in more than two calendar years. Missouri 30, Arkansas 10
Player of the game: Tyler Badie
Gabe DeArmond: Who knows? Arkansas is terrible and I imagine can't wait to have the season over. Missouri is less terrible, but not good and also probably can't wait to have the season over. The question is really, now knowing that this is their last game, do the Tigers care at all? I don't think motivation will be high. But I do think it will be high enough to win. Missouri 16, Arkansas 6.
Player of the Game: The clock operator when it hits 0:00
