1) It was a bye week for Missouri football and a bye weekend for me as well. Good time for both of us to recharge our batteries. Every team in the country says the bye week comes at a perfect time because, well, that's when it is, so what other alternative is there? We'll find out if Missouri used its off week well or not in five days. I used mine to stir up the hornet's nest about what Missouri should do at quarterback. Ultimately, my conclusion is that I think it would be good to get Sam Horn and/or Tyler Macon some game reps, but Brady Cook should remain the starter. We also had Jarod Hamilton's story on Mekhi Miller, a true freshman starting to make his presence known.
2) I'm sure we've said this about other games, but Saturday is the most important game Eli Drinkwitz has coached at Missouri. Vanderbilt is better than it's been the last few years. The Commodores led Ole Miss at half and they're capable of winning a conference game for the first time since October 19, 2019. I don't think I have to remind you who the Commodores' opponent was that day. Since the 21-14 win over Mizzou in Nashville, Vandy has lost 24 consecutive conference games. Only five of those games have been decided by fewer than ten points. The Dores have been outscored 162-31 in three league games this year (albeit against Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia). This simply has to be a win for Missouri. Whether it's 3-0 or 103-0, Missouri has to score more points than Vanderbilt. It's not hard to argue the loss to Vandy is the one that most led to Barry Odom getting fired after the 2019 season. If Mizzou loses this weekend, everything is on the table. Yes, everything. Even the head coach's employment status at the end of the season. Missouri is a two-touchdown favorite. The Tigers should win. But you know Vandy is pointing to this one as its best chance to get an SEC victory. Nobody around Mizzou wants to find out what happens if it occurs.
3) If Missouri's offense is going to get healthy, this is the weekend it happens. Vanderbilt is 130th in the country in scoring defense. Since holding Hawaii to 10 points in the season opener, here are the points Vandy has given up:
31 to Elon
45 to Wake Forest
28 to Northern Illinois
55 to Alabama
52 to Ole Miss
55 to Georgia
The point totals are not misleading. Vandy ranks 129th in the country in total defense, 87th against the run and 130th against the pass. If the Tigers aren't able to move the ball and put up a good number of points this week (It has to be a minimum of 28 but should probably be more) the offense is in worse shape than we all think it is. And I think most of us think it's in pretty bad shape.
4) Nothing that happens Saturday necessarily shows us that issues are solved. The Tigers should win and should win relatively comfortably. So coming off this game, I won't write that anything is necessarily okay. But a win does at least start you on the path to potentially salvaging the season. A win would put Mizzou 3-4 with a trip to South Carolina next weekend. The 4-2 Gamecocks host Texas A&M this weekend. Their last three games are at Florida, at Tennessee and home against Clemson. South Carolina's most logical path to a bowl game includes a win against Mizzou followed by a win at Vandy. Missouri's path to a bowl game almost definitely includes a win at South Carolina. It's not impossible with a loss, but it's far, far less likely. In essence, the Mizzou/South Carolina game could be a playoff for the Birmingham or Gasparilla Bowl. Missouri isn't good enough to look ahead, but I don't play or coach on the team and I can do whatever I want to. If Mizzou manages to win this weekend, next weekend immediately replaces this weekend as the most important game Drinkwitz has coached at Missouri.
5) With no game from last weekend to wrap up, we'll spend half of this week's thoughts on the basketball team. The Tigers have been practicing and will be at SEC Media Days outside of Birmingham on Wednesday. Drew King will be on location to cover the Tiger women on Tuesday and the men on Wednesday. We'll have stories every day this week on one of the two programs.
2) I'm sure we've said this about other games, but Saturday is the most important game Eli Drinkwitz has coached at Missouri. Vanderbilt is better than it's been the last few years. The Commodores led Ole Miss at half and they're capable of winning a conference game for the first time since October 19, 2019. I don't think I have to remind you who the Commodores' opponent was that day. Since the 21-14 win over Mizzou in Nashville, Vandy has lost 24 consecutive conference games. Only five of those games have been decided by fewer than ten points. The Dores have been outscored 162-31 in three league games this year (albeit against Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia). This simply has to be a win for Missouri. Whether it's 3-0 or 103-0, Missouri has to score more points than Vanderbilt. It's not hard to argue the loss to Vandy is the one that most led to Barry Odom getting fired after the 2019 season. If Mizzou loses this weekend, everything is on the table. Yes, everything. Even the head coach's employment status at the end of the season. Missouri is a two-touchdown favorite. The Tigers should win. But you know Vandy is pointing to this one as its best chance to get an SEC victory. Nobody around Mizzou wants to find out what happens if it occurs.
3) If Missouri's offense is going to get healthy, this is the weekend it happens. Vanderbilt is 130th in the country in scoring defense. Since holding Hawaii to 10 points in the season opener, here are the points Vandy has given up:
31 to Elon
45 to Wake Forest
28 to Northern Illinois
55 to Alabama
52 to Ole Miss
55 to Georgia
The point totals are not misleading. Vandy ranks 129th in the country in total defense, 87th against the run and 130th against the pass. If the Tigers aren't able to move the ball and put up a good number of points this week (It has to be a minimum of 28 but should probably be more) the offense is in worse shape than we all think it is. And I think most of us think it's in pretty bad shape.
4) Nothing that happens Saturday necessarily shows us that issues are solved. The Tigers should win and should win relatively comfortably. So coming off this game, I won't write that anything is necessarily okay. But a win does at least start you on the path to potentially salvaging the season. A win would put Mizzou 3-4 with a trip to South Carolina next weekend. The 4-2 Gamecocks host Texas A&M this weekend. Their last three games are at Florida, at Tennessee and home against Clemson. South Carolina's most logical path to a bowl game includes a win against Mizzou followed by a win at Vandy. Missouri's path to a bowl game almost definitely includes a win at South Carolina. It's not impossible with a loss, but it's far, far less likely. In essence, the Mizzou/South Carolina game could be a playoff for the Birmingham or Gasparilla Bowl. Missouri isn't good enough to look ahead, but I don't play or coach on the team and I can do whatever I want to. If Mizzou manages to win this weekend, next weekend immediately replaces this weekend as the most important game Drinkwitz has coached at Missouri.
5) With no game from last weekend to wrap up, we'll spend half of this week's thoughts on the basketball team. The Tigers have been practicing and will be at SEC Media Days outside of Birmingham on Wednesday. Drew King will be on location to cover the Tiger women on Tuesday and the men on Wednesday. We'll have stories every day this week on one of the two programs.
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