So the board has been torn on how we should feel after the bama game. One side sees it as the game was over after 21-0 and there was nothing good that came out of the game and Drink is still an unproven nobody. The counter point is that we got slugged in the mouth by a vastly superior team and didn't get knocked out and found a way to score 19 points against a team full of first round draft picks and more 4 stars than Mizzou maybe has had in it's entire history (slight hint of blue font).
I think that some minds were mildly changed when Matter tweeted that bama left some of their starters in till the end of the game. This really didn't change my opinion of the game that much and here is why.
When a team like Mizzou is opening with a new head coach in a pandemic that has vastly altered your offseason and are opening against the 2nd best team in the country, then your expectations should be low. I'm not old enough to have watched Neb or OU truck us 77-0, 62-0, and 63-6, but they did. Heck in '08 with one of our most talented teams OU beat us 62-21. With historical data like this and the fact that you are facing Nick Saban armed with a seasoned QB and 4-5 star talent at every level of the O and D, I would have honestly not been that upset if the score was 50-10.
I tried to think of how hard it would be for a team like Mizzou to actually pull an upset of this magnitude. I mean it has happened out of the blue with a newish coach, like Purdue beating OSU. But what would it really take? So I tried to think of it in terms of giving both teams a Madden rating as a way to visually represent the gap.
Rating Bama: This team is deep and has been stocked with talent for many years and championship breeding. There are maybe 3 teams in the country as deep. (OSU, Clemson, Maybe Georgia)
1st string: overall 95 rating, massive Oline, talented QB, RB, WR
2nd string: overall 88 rating, most of these players would be starters on other power 5 teams
3rd string: overall 75 rating, these are the 4 stars that haven't put it all together or have more talented players in front of them, or simply haven't lived up their billing. But could prob still start for most group of 5
Rating Mizzou: We are playing with leftovers from previous coach that might not fit new coach, trying to learn a new system without an offseason to train.
1st string: overall 80 rating, mostly 3 stars that have matured into starters. We have exactly one player on this string that would start for bama (Bolton 96 rating)
2nd string: overall 70 rating, still mostly 3 stars that would be backups for most power 5 teams, except kU, they would all start.
3rd string: overall 55 rating, these guys are young or haven't taken the next step and it is a tall task to expect much against a team like bama.
So in review Mizzou average across 3 groups would be 68. In contrast Bama's number would be 86. I love Mizzou, but we could have played that game 10 times and would have lost between 9 and 11 times.
Mizzou has no margin for error in a game like this. There can be no quarantines, no opt outs, no injuries. You have to play perfect and Bama would have to play their C game.
I say all of that to say this. I was super board at work today and I didn't think this would teach anyone anything, but maybe someone will disagree and I will have something to read. So thanks for wasting your time if you actually read this. I like Drink and was impressed that his team didn't get trucked. Looking forward to beating the Vols on sat!
I hope everyone has a great day! Stay safe and healthy and enjoy Mizzou football.
I think that some minds were mildly changed when Matter tweeted that bama left some of their starters in till the end of the game. This really didn't change my opinion of the game that much and here is why.
When a team like Mizzou is opening with a new head coach in a pandemic that has vastly altered your offseason and are opening against the 2nd best team in the country, then your expectations should be low. I'm not old enough to have watched Neb or OU truck us 77-0, 62-0, and 63-6, but they did. Heck in '08 with one of our most talented teams OU beat us 62-21. With historical data like this and the fact that you are facing Nick Saban armed with a seasoned QB and 4-5 star talent at every level of the O and D, I would have honestly not been that upset if the score was 50-10.
I tried to think of how hard it would be for a team like Mizzou to actually pull an upset of this magnitude. I mean it has happened out of the blue with a newish coach, like Purdue beating OSU. But what would it really take? So I tried to think of it in terms of giving both teams a Madden rating as a way to visually represent the gap.
Rating Bama: This team is deep and has been stocked with talent for many years and championship breeding. There are maybe 3 teams in the country as deep. (OSU, Clemson, Maybe Georgia)
1st string: overall 95 rating, massive Oline, talented QB, RB, WR
2nd string: overall 88 rating, most of these players would be starters on other power 5 teams
3rd string: overall 75 rating, these are the 4 stars that haven't put it all together or have more talented players in front of them, or simply haven't lived up their billing. But could prob still start for most group of 5
Rating Mizzou: We are playing with leftovers from previous coach that might not fit new coach, trying to learn a new system without an offseason to train.
1st string: overall 80 rating, mostly 3 stars that have matured into starters. We have exactly one player on this string that would start for bama (Bolton 96 rating)
2nd string: overall 70 rating, still mostly 3 stars that would be backups for most power 5 teams, except kU, they would all start.
3rd string: overall 55 rating, these guys are young or haven't taken the next step and it is a tall task to expect much against a team like bama.
So in review Mizzou average across 3 groups would be 68. In contrast Bama's number would be 86. I love Mizzou, but we could have played that game 10 times and would have lost between 9 and 11 times.
Mizzou has no margin for error in a game like this. There can be no quarantines, no opt outs, no injuries. You have to play perfect and Bama would have to play their C game.
I say all of that to say this. I was super board at work today and I didn't think this would teach anyone anything, but maybe someone will disagree and I will have something to read. So thanks for wasting your time if you actually read this. I like Drink and was impressed that his team didn't get trucked. Looking forward to beating the Vols on sat!
I hope everyone has a great day! Stay safe and healthy and enjoy Mizzou football.
