Liberty Bowl Preview, Part I: When Mizzou Throws
On most Mizzou football game weeks, PowerMizzou gets you set for the matchup with everything you need to know in our Ultimate Preview. But given the month-plus layoff between the end of the regular season and Missouri’s matchup against Oklahoma State in the Liberty Bowl, we decided to do something a bit different. Each day between now and New Year’s Eve, we’ll take a more expansive look at every facet of the matchup.
Today, we look at the Tiger pass offense vs. the Cowboy pass defense.
When Mizzou throws
Drew Lock has been a different quarterback in his senior year than in seasons past. After he set an SEC record with 44 passing touchdowns in a single season as a junior, Lock’s stats have dipped in new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley’s system, which has emphasized balance and ball control. Meanwhile, the team’s win total increased.
But Monday, against Oklahoma State’s suspect pass defense, Lock could have a chance to end his college career with one last eye-popping stat line.
Oklahoma State ranks No. 96 nationally in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score an average of 32.4 points per game. The Cowboys come in at No. 107 against the pass, giving up 258.3 yards per contest through the air. Against Power Five opponents, that number climbs to just over 270 passing yards per game.
Missouri, meanwhile, ranks No. 26 in the country in passing offense, averaging 271.6 yards per game. It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Lock — during Missouri’s four-game losing streak to open SEC play, Lock completed just 68 of 137 pass attempts and threw one touchdown compared to five interceptions. But in the seven games in which Lock has had a healthy Emanuel Hall on the field, as he is expected to for the Liberty Bowl, he has averaged about 292 yards per game through the air and thrown 20 touchdowns versus three interceptions. Hall will likely be matched up against junior cornerback A.J. Green, who was selected to the all-Big 12 second team by the league’s coaches.
The one area of concern for Missouri’s passing offense will be keeping Lock upright against Oklahoma State’s pass rush. The Cowboys have racked up 39 sacks so far this season, tied for the seventh-most in the country. Their starting defensive end tandem of Jordan Brailford and Jarrell Owens combined for 15 of those sacks.
The Missouri offensive line has been pretty good at giving Lock a clean pocket for much of this season, allowing just 13 sacks in 12 games. If the Tigers are able to keep that up in the Liberty Bowl, Lock should have the opportunity to connect on some big plays against Oklahoma State’s susceptible secondary.
Advantage: Missouri