Mizzou Game Day Countdown: Week 5 vs. Georgia

There is no rest for the weary. Missouri (2-2) will be looking to turn a bad week four loss into a monumental upset win at home versus No. 1 Georgia (4-0).

In this 12th matchup between the pair, Missouri will be looking to catch the Bulldogs off guard and use the proverbial chip on its shoulder from last week to help score the upset. For Georgia, they will be looking to bounce back from a 39-22 win over Kent State which saw the Bulldogs not playing their best football.

Our game day preview will look at the five matchups to watch, four Mizzou players to keep an eye on, three keys to the game, two questions that need to be answered and a prediction of who will win.

Kickoff Information

Time: 6 p.m. CT

Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, MO

TV: SECN (Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic)

Radio: Tiger Radio Network (Mike Kelly, Howard Richards, Chris Gervino)

Spread: Georgia -28

Series history: Georgia 10-1

Mizzou Injury Report

WR Luther Burden III: Questionable

DL Ky Montgomery: Doubtful

LB Chad Bailey: Out

WR Demariyon Houston: Out

WR Chance Luper: Out

OL Hyrin White: Out

RB Elijah Young: Out

1.) Brady Cook vs. UGA defense

Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook didn't follow up his career day versus Abilene Christian with the greatest showing in week four. In week three versus the Wildcats, Cook completed 21 of 30 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns. In week four, Cook completed 14 of 24 passes for 179 yards and an interception. It was a struggle for the offense besides two possessions in the second quarter, but Cook kept them in the game with a 39-yard completion to Dominic Lovett to get them in field goal range towards the end of regulation.

Cook will have to complete more passes as he did to Lovett and have the efficiency similar to what he had in week three because the defense he's facing is much different than any defense he has faced to this point this season.

The good thing for Cook and this offense is that Georgia typically runs the same 4-2-5 nickel defense (with the STAR not the slot cornerback) that Missouri runs, so it won't be a foreign scheme they are facing.

The not-so-good thing is Georgia lost eight defensive players to the 2022 NFL Draft, including a record five players in the first round, and it's possible that the defense is playing better this season than last season.

"Defensively so far, the team has honestly surprised me," said Anthony Dasher of UGASports.com. ... "This year they're playing a lot of guys who are inexperienced and didn't have much playing time in college, but so far they've adjusted pretty well. ... The results to this point have actually been better than last year."

Cook missed some throws against Auburn, and his interception was more of a good play by the defender to jump the pass and deflect it into the air, but the way Cook was overthrowing some of his receivers or just not hitting the mark may have more consequences against Georgia.

The Bulldogs have forced seven turnovers and are owners of the nation's 11th-best defense limiting opponents to 257 total yards per game. They also allow just 171 passing yards (21st in FBS).

Cook has completed 69 of 109 passes (63.3%) for 805 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. He also has 36 rushes for 202 yards and two touchdowns.

2.) Mizzou's offensive line vs. UGA's defensive line

Missouri's most glaring issue to this point in the season is its offensive line. After the week three win versus Abilene Christian, Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said that they would have to re-evaluate who the team's five best offensive linemen were after the offensive line committed six penalties (five holds and one false start), allowed a sack and nine tackles for loss.

Javon Foster, Xavier Delgado, Connor Tollison, Mitchell Walters (replacing Connor Wood) and Zeke Foster were the starters against Auburn in week four. Powell, who was replacing Hyrin White at right tackle, suffered a season-ending injury in the first quarter of that game. Wood replaced him at right tackle and will start at the position versus Georgia.

Despite losing defensive end Travon Walker (No. 1 overall pick), defensive tackle Jordan Davis (No. 13 overall pick) and Devontae Wyatt (No. 29 overall pick) to the NFL Draft, the defensive line is probably still Georgia's best position group (although, you could probably say that about any position group on its defense).

Defensive tackle Jalen Carter is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and defensive end Nolan Smith is looking to be a late first-round or second-round pick. Carter, who has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury has four tackles and a tackle for loss. He is expected to play. Smith has recorded eight tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a pass deflection.

3.) Mizzou's defensive line vs. UGA's offensive line

In week four, Missouri's defense played its best defensive game since week seven of the 2020 season when it held Vanderbilt to 186 yards in a 41-0 win. The defense held Auburn to 217 total yards and 17 points. Auburn only managed to get three points and 134 yards after the first quarter.

The defensive line, in particular for Mizzou, had its best game of the season when it recorded 4.5 tackles for loss and a sack. That performance followed up two lackluster outings when the defensive line only recorded one sack and five tackles for loss in the two games prior.

The Bulldogs offensive line is headlined by offensive tackle and Preseason All-SEC first-team selection Warren McClendon and offensive tackle Broderick Jones, and have helped make sure Stetson Bennett's jersey has stayed clean. The offensive line has allowed only two sacks this season (sixth in the FBS) and seven tackles allowed (first in the FBS).

4.) UGA tight ends vs. Mizzou safeties

Not often do you see a tight end take an end-a-round 75 yards for a touchdown but Georgia's Brock Bowers did that on Georgia's first play from scrimmage last week. Bowers is coming off of a phenomenal freshman campaign in 2021 when he recorded 56 catches for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns. This season, through four games he has 15 receptions for 276 yards and two touchdowns. He's also rushed three times for 82 yards and a touchdown. He is the definition of a matchup nightmare.

Bowers is probably the tight ends best position player, but he's might not be the most physically gifted.

That may be reserved for the 6-foot-7, 265-pound tight end, Darnell Washington. Washington is a massive red zone threat and due to his athleticism and size advantage, he will usually have a mismatch.

Missouri's most consistent (and perhaps its best) defensive position group is the secondary. Jaylon Carlies, who trends towards being a future NFL draft pick each week, is the Tigers' most sure-handed safety and is not afraid to hit and Clemson transfer Joseph Charleston has been great at deep safety. The true matchup for Bowers and Washington will be the players manning the STAR position though. The STAR position is manned by Martez Manuel and Daylan Carnell off the bench. They will be lining up over the tight ends and have their hands full with Bowers and Washington, but Manuel and Carnell have played well the last two weeks. Carnell, was Missouri's highest-graded player against Auburn with a grade of 85.2, according to PFF College. Manuel was one of the team's better tacklers receiving a tackling grade of 76.0 (third-best).

They will have to bring their A-game against the most talented tight end group they'll face all season.

5.) Mizzou wide receivers vs. UGA Secondary

It has been a struggle for Mizzou wide receivers to create much separation this season. Well, everyone except Lovett, who has led the Tigers in receptions and receiving yards in all four games. He has 21 receptions for 376 yards (conference leader) and two touchdowns. Barrett Banister has caught 11 passes (second on the team) for 114 yards and Luther Burden III has caught 10 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. Those are the only three receivers with 10 more receptions with Mookie Cooper and Tauskie Dove hauling in six passes.

Now, the number of receptions isn't based just on spacing. The offensive line play hasn't been great, Cook has missed some throws, there's been some dropped passes and a couple of other things but the Tigers will have to figure something out versus Georgia to move the ball down the field.

When Georgia's 14th-best run defense isn't limiting teams to 3.19 yards per carry, its aforementioned 21st-ranked pass defense led by cornerback Kelee Ringo is holding down the fort. The secondary has forced five of Georgia's six interceptions, and also isn't afraid to make tackles either. Five Georgia defensive backs are among Georgia's top 10 leading tacklers.

1.) The offensive line

It's going to take an all-hands-on-deck effort for the Tigers to come out with the upset. Especially, on this offensive line. It's never ideal to start new players on the offensive line in the Southeastern Conference without a couple of seasons to get acclimated to the league. That is not the case for redshirt freshman center Connor Tollison and redshirt freshman right guard Mitchell Walters.

Walters got his first start against Auburn and this will be Tollison's fourth start of the season.

The offensive line only had one penalty called against it, but it also allowed four sacks and seven tackles for loss last game. The group will have to keep Cook clean and do whatever they need to do (that won't draw penalties) to limit this front Georgia front seven.

2.) RB Nathaniel Peat

It will be interesting to see how Nathaniel Peat responds after coming off of a game that saw him rush for over 100 yards for the second time in his career, but also fumble and seal Missouri's fate against Auburn. Peat averaged 5.5 yards per carry and had the game's longest rush of 20 yards on that final carry.

Georgia's defense is stingier than Auburn's defense but the same was said about Auburn in comparison to the run defenses Missouri faced in weeks one through three, and Peat ended up having his most efficient game sans the fumble.

Peat will have to put week four behind him and try and replicate everything he did leading up to the fumble.

3.) WR Dominic Lovett

Lovett has made a significant leap in season two with the Tigers but now that he's emerged as the Tigers' best wide receiver through two games he may find himself with harder matchups as teams begin to key in on him. Georgia's secondary as a unit is elite but if Kelee Ringo shadows him it will be interesting to see what Lovett can do. Ringo is likely a first-round pick if he stays healthy and declares for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Ringo is a physical 6-foot-2 cornerback who can travel and play on the boundary or in the slot and is good at playing the ball in the air, but he isn't without flaws. He's been targeted 12 times and has allowed 10 receptions for 113 yards. Now, some of those receptions and yards may be because Georgia allows teams to throw the ball when they are up big, but Ringo can be overly aggressive to the point where he gets himself out of position.

It'll be up to Lovett to make plays out of the slot and if Ringo is lined up over him he will have to force Ringo to use one of his best traits (physicality) against himself.

4.) QB Brady Cook

Whether Cook and Mizzou's offense is aggressive or not is unknown, but Cook can not turn the ball over this week. He's committed at least one turnover (five in total) in all four games, although most of them haven't been his fault he still can't commit one this week. Last week, Auburn turned Cook's lone turnover into a touchdown. It didn't lose Missouri the game since Mizzou had a number of chances to win the game down the stretch, but it certainly didn't help.

Cook has to value the football. That doesn't mean he shouldn't take any chances it just means he has to make sure that he's making the right reads, not hesitating on the reads he does see, not forcing the ball in tight spots and sliding when he scrambles.

1.) Don't get behind the chains.

Georgia is one of the better teams at getting teams backed up behind the line of scrimmage. Missouri has to make sure they don't allow Georgia's front seven to get too much penetration. The offensive line also can't get penalized like they did versus Abilene Christian. It's already hard facing Georgia with normal conditions but if the offense is in second and long or third and long it will be a long day for the Tigers' offense.

2.) The special teams unit needs to bring its A-game

It was an unusual day for the Tigers' special teams in week four. Harrison Mevis, a first-team All-SEC kicker in 2021, missed a 26-yard field goal at the end of regulation that would have won Mizzou the game. Lovett and Burden combined for a net of one punt return yard between two punts. Only punter Jack Stonehouse, who was making his first start of the season, had a good day for Mizzou's special teams.

Stonehouse averaged 48 yards per punt on eight punts with three of the punts going over 50 yards (a long of 68) and four landing inside Auburn’s 20-yard line. He will have to show that he can continuously do that, and there's not a better time to show he can be consistent than against Georgia. Similar to last week, the field position battle will be huge for Missouri.

Mevis is 5 of 8 on field goals this season and has already tied his career-high for missed field goals in a season (three) which he set in 2020 when he went 17 of 20. Mevis will have to make sure he leaves last week's game in the rearview mirror and execute when his number is called upon this week.

Whether it's Burden or Lovett fielding punts they just have to make sure they don't muff the punt or go backward after they catch it. Lovett bobbled one punt on a fair catch and then muffed another one before he quickly recovered it. The one punt he actually fielded was for a loss of three yards.

3.) Establish a running game

This will be a key for Missouri every week until the Tigers can prove they can run the ball consistently with the help of the offensive line. Last week, with the adjustments made by Drinkwitz along the offensive line there were a couple of times where holes opened up for the running backs and the running backs were able to make a play out of it (look at Peat's final carry). If the Tigers can establish the run they can open up the pass and get more playmakers like Lovett and Burden involved.

Without the run, Mizzou becomes one-dimensional and that will lead to more third downs, riskier plays and an increased likelihood of a turnover on obvious passing downs.

1.) Will Missouri's offense provide its defense with enough support?

Missouri's defense, with the exception of week two against Kansas State, has gotten better each week. Even when the defense allowed 40 points to Kansas State, the defense played fantastically in the third quarter and kept Missouri in the game. The defense allowed 24 points in week one, 17 points in week three and 17 points in week four. The defense seems to be up to the task, but if the offense doesn't get off to a fast start or continues to string three and outs over and over again it will be hard seeing Missouri have any chance of winning.

2.) Will Missouri's offense be aggressive or conservative?

Coming into the season many people picked Georgia to defeat Missouri handily. When you combine that with the fact the Bulldogs won the national championship last season, they're ranked No.1 and they're undefeated this season it could be easy for Missouri to play conservatively. Maybe, trying to run the ball more and limit Georgia's time of possession or not take many deep shots.

Considering Georgia's talent the Tigers probably should be aggressive in this game since they wouldn't have much to lose because as Mizzou learned last week there are no moral victories. Whether a team loses by three points or by 28 points it doesn't matter because a loss is a loss. Being aggressive probably helps Mizzou more than being conservative.

Jarod: I'm taking the Bulldogs 45-10. Coming off a lackluster week, Georgia is the angry giant looking to blow off some steam, and it is going to take that anger out against Mizzou. I do think Missouri will put up a brief fight early on, but the offense has struggled mightily this season, especially when it comes to getting off to a fast start. I don't expect that to change, especially if Burden doesn;t play. I think punter Stonehouse will get a chance to have another masterclass punting performance.

Gabe: Georgia didn't look very good last week. Missouri hasn't looked very good all season. Worst possible combo. I think Missouri is the team we've seen. I think Georgia will be on a mission to prove it isn't the team we saw last week. Bulldogs pour it on in the first half and cruise in the second to a 48-6 win.

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