8/31/2023 football Edit

Mizzou Game Day Preview & predictions: Week 1 vs. South Dakota

Jarod Hamilton • PowerMizzou

Staff Writer

Season 133 is here for Missouri football and it starts with a first-time-ever matchup versus the South Dakota Coyotes on Thursday night.

Missouri is coming off of a 6-6 regular season and a loss to Wake Forest in the Gasparilla Bowl, while South Dakota is coming off a 3-8 season.

Kickoff Information

Time: 7 p.m. CT

Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, MO

TV: SEC Network (Clay Matvick, Aaron Murray and Ashley ShahAhmadi)

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

Series history: No previous meetings

Mizzou Injury Report

FS Jaylon Carlies: Questionable

LB Chad Bailey: Out

HB Michael Cox: Out

WR Peanut Houston: Out

C Bence Polgar: Out

About the Coyotes

Led by head coach Bob Nielson, entering his eighth year at South Dakota, the Coyotes will try to snap Mizzou's 13-game home winning streak versus non-conference opponents.

The Coyotes hired former South Dakota State wide receivers coach Josh Davis to be the new offensive coordinator and expand the team's passing horizons more than it has been in past seasons.

However, if the Coyotes are anything like they've been the last few seasons, expect them to run a lot of 12 and 13-personnel with some inside and outside zone and quarterback-designed runs.

They return eight starters to each side of the ball, including former Iowa State quarterback Aidan Bouman. The son of former NFL quarterback Todd Bouman passed for 892 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception in five games, and he also added two rushing touchdowns.

Travis Theis returns as the team's leading rusher from a season ago after recording 166 rushes for 775 yards (4.66 yards per carry) and five touchdowns. He also was the team's second-leading receiver with 25 receptions for 177 yards.

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz likened him to the Tigers' own presumptive starting running back Cody Schrader.

The Coyotes will have Nate Thomas returning after missing all of 2022 due to injury. He was a Missouri Valley Conference All-Newcomer selection in 2021 after recording 114 carries for 717 yards (6.3 yards per carry) and five touchdowns.

The team lost its top receiver from a year ago.

So, Carter Bell, who was the third-leading receiver in 2022 with 23 receptions for 245 yards and three touchdowns, will be the go-to option in the passing game.

The interior of the Coyotes' offensive line has a good amount of experience, led by team captain and right guard Isaac Erbes, who has started 39 consecutive games.

However, the same can't be said for their tackle spots.

Joe Cotton will get his first start at left tackle and Caden Ellingson is the right tackle after three starts a season ago.

The Coyotes had the Missouri Valley Conference's seventh-best rushing attack in 2022, averaging 122.7 yards per game, while its passing attack was second to last, averaging 163.3 yards per game.

If Mizzou can stuff the run early, it should be able to force the Coyotes into passing situations, which will lead them into the teeth of the Tigers' defense that features perhaps the best cornerback duo in the country in Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw.

Defensively, South Dakota has three preseason All-Americans in linebackers Stephen Hillis and Brock Mogensen, and cornerback Myles Harden.

Hillis led the MVC in tackles with 115 to go along with eight tackles for loss, four sacks, two forced fumbles and six pass deflections.

Mogensen was third in the conference in tackles with 107. He also recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and recovered a fumble.

Harden only played six games due to injury, but he racked up 44 tackles, four tackles for loss, a sack, nine pass deflections, three interceptions and a team-leading four forced fumbles.

South Dakota's pass defense ranked fourth in the conference, allowing 220.4 yards per game, while its run defense left a lot to be desired, allowing 187.2 yards per game.

If Missouri can get the run game going, it should be able to pick apart the Coyotes passing defense easily with the weapons it has at wide receiver at its disposal.

This will be the game for the Tigers to try a number of experiments. It's well-known the Tigers will play multiple quarterbacks, but they should be playing multiple players at just about every position to see what they have.

Bold predictions

1. Missouri will get at least four rushing touchdowns.

The Tigers have every advantage you can think of over the Coyotes, including the offensive line. Since the end of the first week of fall camp, Drinkwitz has said how much better the offensive line is compared to a season ago.

If the offensive line is as improved as Drinkwitz has said, then the Tigers should have no trouble getting the run game going against an undersized front and visiting the end zone at least four times. Plus, with eight returning starters on defense for South Dakota, it's hard to believe it'll be that much better against the run than in 2022.

2. South Dakota doesn't score a touchdown

This is very doable for Missouri. The Tigers also bring back a defense with eight returning starters from a top 35 defense, and they have more depth now than they did a year ago.

If you look back at the week three matchup from last season versus Abilene Christian, the Wildcats scored 17 points against the Tigers. Even though this is no easy task, the Wildcats' 2022 team seems to be much better than South Dakota is shaping up to be.

3. A Missouri tight end will score a touchdown

Missouri's tight end unit was the worst position group on the team last season. Whether it was run blocking or as receivers, they didn't have a net positive impact.

Tyler Stephens, Kibet Chepyator and Ryan Hoerstkamp combined for 10 receptions, 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Luckily for Mizzou, it has some new blood in the tight end room it's excited about in true freshmen Brett Norfleet and Jordon Harris and redshirt freshman Max Whisner.

Stephens will likely start but expect at least Norfleet and Harris to make cameos.

With Missouri's loaded wide receiver room, the opportunity to get the tight ends involved in the passing game is there.

Predictions

Jarod: This game will be what you expect when a Southeastern Conference team faces an FCS team. Missouri should roll in what will be a glorified exhibition. I've got the Tigers putting up another 50-burger for the second straight season opener. Tigers win 50-6.

Gabe: Missouri 42, South Dakota 10. I’m including a defensive touchdown in there. The two quarterbacks both have solid games, but neither one of them salts away the job. Missouri jumps out early and never seriously sweats in this one doing exactly what it should do in the season opener against an overmatched opponent.

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