10/21/2023 football Edit

Mizzou Game Day Preview & Predictions: Week 8 vs. South Carolina

Jarod Hamilton • PowerMizzou

Staff Writer

No. 20 Missouri (6-1, 2-1) bounced back from a 49-39 loss to LSU in Week 6 with a 38-21 win over then-No. 24 Kentucky on the road to win its second divisional game in three games.

The Gamecocks (2-4, 1-3) are looking to spoil the party and ruin the Tigers' Homecoming with a bounce-back win of their own. Last week, the Gamecocks blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to Florida during their Homecoming in Columbia, South Carolina.

Kickoff Information

Time: 2:30 p.m. CT

Location: Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo.

TV: SEC Network (Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang)

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

Series history: Missouri leads 7-6

Spread: Missouri -7

Mizzou Injury Report

QB Brady Cook: Probable

DE Josh Landry: Probable

DE Darius Robinson: Probable

S Tre’Vez Johnson: Probable

HB Cody Schrader: Questionable

CB Ennis Rakestraw: Questionable

WR Peanut Houston: Out

LB Chad Bailey: Out

About South Carolina

Shane Beamer and his squad will want to not only spoil Missouri's Homecoming but repay the Tigers for coming to their Columbia and beating a then-No. 25 South Carolina last year.

The best chance for South Carolina to do that is if quarterback Spencer Rattler has another good game like he did last week. Outside of a late-game interception, he completed 76% of his passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns.

For the season, he's completed 73% of his passes for 1,724 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.

"They have a premier quarterback in Spencer Rattler, who is playing at an extremely high level, throwing the ball very well, has pocket presence, he's very good," Drinkwitz said during Tuesday's Media Day. "He's very comfortable (in the offense)."

On the receiving end of 41% of those yards is Xavier Legette, who has seemingly gone from kickoff and punt return specialist to one of the nation's best receivers.

He's recorded 35 receptions for 716 yards and three touchdowns.

He’s top five in the FBS in receiving yards per game (119.3, third) and receiving yards.

"Xavier Legette has come on. Last year, he was a very dynamic special teams player and now he is a complete wide receiver, who is very difficult to match up just because of his size and speed," Drinkwitz said.

The team's second-leading receiver is former Arkansas tight end Trey Knox, who has almost already passed his season totals from a year ago.

This season, the 6-foot-5, 245-pounder has recorded 25 receptions for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

He's more of a receiving tight end than a typical tight end, who flashes good speed, hands and physicality in the open field.

For Missouri's linebackers and safety groups, it will be one of the better tight ends they face this season, so they will have to make sure they're prepared to deal with Knox being one of the focal parts of the offense. Especially, in the red zone.

In the run game, the Gamecocks are actually one of the nation's worst rushing teams averaging 97.8 rushing yards per game. Running back Mario Anderson is the team's leading rusher with 328 yards and two touchdowns on 64 carries.

He's only averaging 54.67 rushing yards per game, but the former Division II product didn't record a touch in the first game and has come on real strong in the last three games.

All but eight carries for 41 yards have come in the last three weeks.

South Carolina is also one of the worst teams in the nation in sacks allowed per game at 4.17 which ranks 125th and that's factors into rushing totals. So, that's also another reason why its 121st rushing.

Mizzou has to bottle up the run game in an effort to stop play action. The Gamecocks already want to pass the ball, but being able to pass the ball after mixing in the run is a huge difference.

Getting pressure on Rattler also will be a significant part of the gameplan. Rattler is mobile and is the team's second-leading rusher but he isn't exactly Jayden Daniels.

The Tigers recorded 18 pressures and four sacks last week against Kentucky. They’ll need similar or better production in order to help limit the passing game.

Defensively, South Carolina fares pretty well in the run game allowing 129.8 yards per game, good enough for 54th in the nation. However, they aren't good at securing tackles for loss with just 4.5 per game (114th).

According to PFF College, they are the 32nd-best tackling team in the nation with a grade of 76.1. So, they can wrap up, but they have to take advantage of Mizzou's propensity for allowing tackles for loss. The Tigers allow 6.43 per game which ranks 95th.

Mizzou running back Cody Schrader is still banged up with a quad injury but he hasn't missed a game yet, and that figures to remain the situation this week.

He's coming off of a 20-carry, 71-yard and one-touchdown Week 7 performance.

South Carolina will need the linebacker group led by Debo Williams to keep the run game to a minimum because they will already have to deal with Mizzou's passing attack.

Williams leads the team in tackles for loss with seven to go along with 45 tackles, a sack and a pass deflection.

Speaking of Mizzou's passing attack, South Carolina will have to get some pressure on Brady Cook to limit him and the pass game.

The Gamecocks got 27 pressures versus Florida and four sacks, which is good, but they're not a great pass-rushing team, typically. Last year, they had PFF's 26th best pass rushing unit, and now it has the 92nd-ranked unit with a grade of 67.9.

Obviously, the team will have to contain its talented receiving trio led by Luther Burden III, who is coming off his worst statistical game of the season with three touches for 21 yards from scrimmage.

Wide receiver Theo Wease has been a great No. 2 option for Cook and this offense and has proven to be an optimal red-zone threat.

The Gamecocks' best corner is Marcellas Dial, who has racked up 19 tackles and five pass deflections.

However, expect the 6-foot corner to be lined up over Wease, as Dial has only played six snaps at slot corner.

South Carolina likes to use three safeties instead of three cornerbacks. So, expect to see Jalen Kilgore, DQ Smith and or Nick Emmanwori on Burden.

Kilgore has the best coverage grade of the three at 68.6, but he's only played 68 snaps in the slot.

Smith has played the most snaps in the slot with 158 but has allowed a team-high 19 receptions on 25 targets for a team-high 380 yards and a touchdown.

Emmanwori's play sits right in the middle. He has better stats than Smith but has played 23 fewer snaps in the slot.

They're all interchangeable, but it will be something to watch.

Also, Mizzou has the fourth-best red zone offense and the Gamecocks have the 103rd-ranked red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on 24-of-27 (88%) red zone attempts with 18 touchdowns.

So, that will be another thing the Gamecocks will want to sure up.

Much like last week, the opportunity for a massive day offensively is there for the Tigers.

They just can't start the game as badly as last week, and they have to stay out of their own way by limiting giveaways and penalties.

Bold prediction

1. Theo Wease scores a touchdown

Wease has recorded a touchdown in five of seven games this season and in each of the last four games.

South Carolina isn't a great red-zone team and Wease has proven to be a great red-zone threat. I think Wease gets his sixth touchdown of the season.

2. At least 500 yards of offense

The Tigers put up 394 yards of total offense against Kentucky last week, but in the three games prior, it had at least 527 yards. So, I think Missouri will light it up against a not-so-good South Carolina defense.

Bold predictions record: Last prediction: 0-1, Season: 7-5

Game Prediction

Jarod: There are not many things I think South Carolina does better than Mizzou. I can only really see Mizzou losing this game if it beats itself. Mizzou’s passing game should have a field day and take advantage of the Gamecocks' poor pass defense. I've got the Tigers 34-24.

Gabe: South Carolina has Spencer Rattler who has been better than most think. It has virtually no running game. It has a porous offensive line. It has a very poor pass defense. If Missouri's offense can do what it's been doing for the last month, the Tigers should have a happy Homecoming and head into the bye week at 7-1. I think South Carolina pulls out all the stops and tries some trick plays and such. But I think Missouri's simply a better team. They've won two games in the SEC, both by a score of 38-21. Let's stick with it. Mizzou 38, South Carolina 21

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