Missouri Football Notebook: Tigers blocking out storylines, injury updates

No. 12 Missouri (7-1, 3-1) is coming off of its Week 9 bye with a chance to do something it hasn't done in 10 years, beat No. 2 Georgia (8-0, 5-0).

Also, the last time the Tigers defeated UGA was on the road, and they would eventually end the season with an appearance in the SEC Championship game.

The 2023 campaign is looking a lot similar to the 2013 campaign as far as Missouri being a viable opponent when it faces Georgia.

Mizzou hears and sees the storylines being talked about when it comes to its Week 10 matchup, but Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his team have decided that none of that matters.

The only thing that matters is trying to win this game and then resetting their focus for a home matchup versus No. 17 Tennessee in Week 11.

"There's going to be two different narratives (after the game)," Drinkwitz said. "The narrative is going to be, if we lost, the season's over and there's nothing left to play for because of what was at stake in the game, which we know is not true.

"And if we win, we're going to be assumed that we're going to win the (Southeastern Conference) East, which is not true because we still have three games left versus SEC opponents. So, regardless of the outcome of the game, the job of the media and social media is to create narratives. Our job is to ignore them and try to be 1-0."

Not that Drinkwitz cares, but there’s no shortage of things that are creating hype surrounding this game.

This is the Tigers' biggest game in nine years.

Missouri is ranked in the College Football Playoff poll for the first time since 2020, and its ranking is the highest it's ever been.

Georgia will have around 90,000 fans packed into Sanford Stadium, one of the 10 largest stadiums in the NCAA.

Also, being No. 2 in the CFP poll despite a 25-game win streak may also be another source of bulletin board material for Kirby Smart’s squad.

This game will be televised by CBS in its primetime afternoon game.

All of the things that can make this game big are happening, but to Mizzou, this isn't uncharted territory for them this season.

It has already played three ranked opponents this season and won two of three, with one of the wins coming against then No. 24-Kentucky during its Homecoming.

"I feel like we've played in a lot of big games," linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper said. "We've got a lot of older guys. So, it's nothing new to us. We've just got to go out there and play four quarters."

"When I came back (to Mizzou instead of declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft), I knew we would be a part of big moments like this, but like I said, it's just another game, another opportunity on the schedule," defensive end Darius Robinson said. "The goal isn't just to beat Georgia. There's a lot more ahead of us. So, we're just trying to be 1-0 this week, but it starts with us and our practice habits and making sure we're ready to go on Saturday."

Just because the Tigers aren't trying to pay attention to the storylines and all the stuff that goes into this matchup doesn't mean they're scared of Georgia or shying away from the moment.

They’ve embraced it.

In fact, Tuesday’s practice began with the CBS Sports college football theme song being blasted through the speakers of the Stephens Indoor Facility, and it seemed to energize the players as they stretched.

To be honest, this is probably the most confident team in the Drinkwitz-era.

The defense is ranked 37th in the nation and has found its stride in the last couple of games.

The offense is one of the nation's best.

Quarterback Brady Cook, running back Cody Schrader and wide receiver Luther Burden III are pretty high in SEC stats among their respective position groups and represent some of the best offensive players the league has to offer this season.

On top of all of that, the Tigers are 2-0 on their revenge tour, having gotten victories over Kansas State and Kentucky after losing to them in 2022.

That's what Cook sees this weekend's game as.

Another revenge game.

A game that slipped through the team's proverbial fingers a year ago and he thinks they’re in a better position this season to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

"Yeah, definitely a similar (revenge) vibe (to the Week 3 game versus Kansas State) for sure," Cook said. "You know, we had that one (versus UGA) last year. We all know it. It was a four-quarter game, and I think what we'll take away from that one, is we're not out of the fight, no matter who we play, and we're going to be even more prepared this year. We're going to have a more complete team. You know, we're ready to finish games in the fourth quarter, and we'll be ready to go."

Last year, it was more about the Tigers having a puncher's chance when UGA came to town.

This year, it's more about the Tigers standing toe to toe with the Bulldogs and proving they're not only going to fight, but they're willing to bring the fight to Georgia.

It helps that they’re coming off of a bye, which has been a little different than it has been in years past.

For the first time in the Drinkwitz era, the Tigers are over .500 coming off of a bye and are did more looking ahead then looking in the rear view mirror.

"Our goal was first to get healthy. And we certainly did that. In the past, we really self-scouted a lot, which we did spend a day on self-scout," Drinkwitz said. "We spent another day on a future opponent and then spent two days on getting ahead on Georgia. So, it's a little bit different mindset because the bye week came so late.

"(The) same kind of thought process, but maybe a little bit more focus. We haven't ever spent as much time working on the next game. So, maybe that would be the biggest difference."

It may not sound like a big difference, but going into the bye, knowing that a bowl game is secured and everything they want to accomplish is still in front of them after the bye week is a luxury, not too many teams have.

Mizzou is all too familiar with being on that side of the equation and Cook believes they’ve taken full advantage of this bye.

"I think just the energy in the building is a lot better (after this year's bye)," Cook said. "People are more excited to prepare and get ready for the following game. You know, there's just more excitement. I think just a lot more buy-in. So, we were able to utilize this by week, I think the best since I've been here."

The Tigers are feeling healthier coming out of the bye.

A lot of their better players were banged up heading into the week, but all of them seem like they're doing much better than they were two weeks ago.

Except for one.

Team captain and starting MIKE linebacker Chad Bailey seems to be trending downward.

Drinkwitz initially said during his Media Day presser on Tuesday that Bailey was going to be out before backtracking and calling him questionable.

"We will be without Chad Bailey this week. I say without, he'd be questionable right now, but I think we would know more (on) Thursday," Drinkwitz said. "So, I won't see y'all, but we will put out an injury report. I'd say at best, he's questionable right now. (He) was able to go out there and observe yesterday (for practice), but not sure exactly where that that will be. We've got to give it more of a go today (at practice), and we'll know."

Bailey missed the Tigers' last game versus South Carolina and the first two games of the season due to the same core injury that has plagued him since the summer.

Cook is refreshed, saying this is the best he's felt since the preseason.

He hyperextended his knee in Week 3 and seemed to get over it sometime in one of the Tigers' last two games, but it definitely seems like a thing of the past along with any other nicks and bruises he may have sustained this season, for the most part.

"I think it was big for me (and) big for the team. I know I'm healthy. This is probably the best I've felt since before fall camp, really. So that's huge," Cook said.

Schrader has been dealing with a quad injury for a few weeks, but he seems to be doing better. Drinkwitz said he wasn't in a green non-contact jersey for the first time in about six weeks during Monday’s practice.

The same goes for Robinson, who has been dealing with a calf injury since the summer.

"I'm way more healthier. I stayed on my rehab over the bye week. I'm starting to get to a place where I feel more comfortable, (but I'm) just trying to do my rehab every day. To be as close to 100% as possible," Robinson said.

Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, who has been dealing with a nagging groin injury, is also said to be progressing.

So, everyone but Bailey is likely to be playing on Saturday.

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