Bill Connelly, ESPN.com: “The short version for why Mizzou is 5-0 is simple: Brady Cook to Luther Burden III. But here's the longer version. The Tigers began the season with wins over South Dakota and MTSU, but the offense disappointed terribly in the process. The Tigers averaged 4.9 yards per play against MTSU, worse than Murray State (5.7) and everyone else on the Blue Raiders' schedule, and a couple of fourth-and-short punts both revealed Eliah Drinkwitz's general lack of confidence and nearly proved costly in the 23-19 win. But the frustration emanating from that evidently lit a fire. The Tigers scored at least 30 points in wins over Kansas State, Memphis and Vanderbilt -- all teams better than MTSU -- in recent weeks. And Cook has been one of the best QBs in the country in the process, averaging 364 passing yards per game with eight TDs. He's set an SEC record for consecutive passes without an interception, and he's thriving both because of Burden, the nation's leading receiver, and because other targets like Theo Wease (118 yards vs. Vanderbilt) have begun to thrive. The Tigers' defense is still a top-30 or so unit, and suddenly the offense is dynamite. And now they return home to host an LSU team that is equal parts dangerous and flawed.”
Barrett Sallee, CBSSports.com: “Missouri quarterback Brady Cook broke the SEC record for consecutive passes thrown without an interception last week when he threw for 395 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-21 win over Vunderbilt. Cook has thrown 347 passes without an interception, which broke the record previously held by Kentucky's Andre Woodson (325). Can he stay hot? Judging by this week's opponent, probably. LSU ranks 11th in the SEC in pass defense at 260.2 yards per game and has given up an SEC-worst 13 touchdown passes while only picking off four passes in five games. This is a matchup nightmare for coach Brian Kelly's squad. But as we saw last week in the 55-49 loss to Ole Miss, the Tigers from Baton Rouge are perfectly comfortable in track meet games. If they do the impossible and force Cook into a pick or two, they have a chance. If they don't, their division title hopes will be cooked.”
Pete Fiutak, College Football News: “Oh yeah, the LSU defense. That again. It’s the strangest thing. This team has so much talent, so many NFL starters, and so much upside and potential, and yet it went totally in the tank in the second half of the win over Florida State, couldn’t handle the Arkansas passing game, and made Ole Miss offensive players look like they were covered in bacon grease. And about that Missouri offense which was slightly disparaged in the LSU position of the program - it deserves more credit for being terrific. QB Brady Cook has been wonderful - 75%, 11 touchdowns, no picks - Luther Burden has been every bit the superstar receiver the program hoped it was getting, and it’s not making big mistakes to give the other side easy chances.”
Pat Forde, SI.com: “(Burden) was the No. 1 receiver in the country coming out of high school in 2022, had a modest freshman season and now is blowing up. Burden leads the nation in receiving yards with 644 and has a live streak of four straight 100-yard receiving games—numbers that should worry a porous LSU pass defense. He’s also a dangerous punt returner . . . As bad as LSU’s defense is, the Tigers (Bayou version) do at least have Daniels playing at a ridiculously high level. Brady Cook has played well for Mizzou this season, setting the SEC record for passes without an interception, but he’s not going to be able to match big plays with Daniels.”
Connor O’Gara, Saturday Down South: “Of course, nobody has been more efficient and dynamic than Luther Burden III. It’s been a dream start to Year 2 for the former 5-star wideout. Burden’s transition to the slot has taken his game to the next level. Not only has Burden nearly doubled his average yards per reception — he went from 8.3 to 15.0 — but he leads the entire FBS in receiving with 644 yards. He’s also No. 1 among Power 5 receivers with 44 catches. Any concerns about his touches evaporated in September. The bigger mid-September issue that Mizzou had to figure out was getting the non-Burden receivers involved. In the past 3 games, that became a non-issue. Former transfers Theo Wease (Oklahoma) and Mookie Cooper (Ohio State) combined for an average of 10 catches for 136 yards per game during those 3 weeks. It was Wease who made the grab to set up the historic 61-yard field goal to beat Kansas State (the inexplicable delay of game penalty also contributed to that SEC-record-breaking distance). That’s what makes Saturday all the more intriguing. LSU is coming off a game in which it allowed 707 yards. Brian Kelly counted 34 missed tackles that led to 284 yards of Ole Miss offense . . . The well-documented issues in the secondary resulted in the nation’s No. 110 pass defense through 5 weeks, and no Power 5 team allowed more passing plays of 40 yards (7) than LSU.”
Barrett Sallee, CBSSports.com: “Missouri quarterback Brady Cook broke the SEC record for consecutive passes thrown without an interception last week when he threw for 395 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-21 win over Vunderbilt. Cook has thrown 347 passes without an interception, which broke the record previously held by Kentucky's Andre Woodson (325). Can he stay hot? Judging by this week's opponent, probably. LSU ranks 11th in the SEC in pass defense at 260.2 yards per game and has given up an SEC-worst 13 touchdown passes while only picking off four passes in five games. This is a matchup nightmare for coach Brian Kelly's squad. But as we saw last week in the 55-49 loss to Ole Miss, the Tigers from Baton Rouge are perfectly comfortable in track meet games. If they do the impossible and force Cook into a pick or two, they have a chance. If they don't, their division title hopes will be cooked.”
Pete Fiutak, College Football News: “Oh yeah, the LSU defense. That again. It’s the strangest thing. This team has so much talent, so many NFL starters, and so much upside and potential, and yet it went totally in the tank in the second half of the win over Florida State, couldn’t handle the Arkansas passing game, and made Ole Miss offensive players look like they were covered in bacon grease. And about that Missouri offense which was slightly disparaged in the LSU position of the program - it deserves more credit for being terrific. QB Brady Cook has been wonderful - 75%, 11 touchdowns, no picks - Luther Burden has been every bit the superstar receiver the program hoped it was getting, and it’s not making big mistakes to give the other side easy chances.”
Pat Forde, SI.com: “(Burden) was the No. 1 receiver in the country coming out of high school in 2022, had a modest freshman season and now is blowing up. Burden leads the nation in receiving yards with 644 and has a live streak of four straight 100-yard receiving games—numbers that should worry a porous LSU pass defense. He’s also a dangerous punt returner . . . As bad as LSU’s defense is, the Tigers (Bayou version) do at least have Daniels playing at a ridiculously high level. Brady Cook has played well for Mizzou this season, setting the SEC record for passes without an interception, but he’s not going to be able to match big plays with Daniels.”
Connor O’Gara, Saturday Down South: “Of course, nobody has been more efficient and dynamic than Luther Burden III. It’s been a dream start to Year 2 for the former 5-star wideout. Burden’s transition to the slot has taken his game to the next level. Not only has Burden nearly doubled his average yards per reception — he went from 8.3 to 15.0 — but he leads the entire FBS in receiving with 644 yards. He’s also No. 1 among Power 5 receivers with 44 catches. Any concerns about his touches evaporated in September. The bigger mid-September issue that Mizzou had to figure out was getting the non-Burden receivers involved. In the past 3 games, that became a non-issue. Former transfers Theo Wease (Oklahoma) and Mookie Cooper (Ohio State) combined for an average of 10 catches for 136 yards per game during those 3 weeks. It was Wease who made the grab to set up the historic 61-yard field goal to beat Kansas State (the inexplicable delay of game penalty also contributed to that SEC-record-breaking distance). That’s what makes Saturday all the more intriguing. LSU is coming off a game in which it allowed 707 yards. Brian Kelly counted 34 missed tackles that led to 284 yards of Ole Miss offense . . . The well-documented issues in the secondary resulted in the nation’s No. 110 pass defense through 5 weeks, and no Power 5 team allowed more passing plays of 40 yards (7) than LSU.”
