Missouri @ West Virginia preview
Milan Puskar Stadium
If the adage that the defense is ahead of the offense early in the season proves true, it might be a good harbinger for Missouri when it opens the 2016 season at West Virginia on Saturday. It’s a clash of high-powered offense versus stingy defense in a matchup of teams looking to rebound after disappointing campaigns.
It’s the head coaching debut for Missouri’s Barry Odom, a onetime standout linebacker for the Tigers who took over after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator a year ago. While Odom starts with a clean slate, West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen might be on the hot seat after last year’s October collapse. The Mountaineers won their first three games in dominant fashion before losing four straight to ranked opponents and blowing a double-digit lead at Kansas State in the regular-season finale. Missouri leads the all-time series 3-2, including a 34-31 win in the 1998 Insight.com Bowl in the most recent meeting, but West Virginia won 35-3 in the last matchup in Morgantown in 1993.
TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: West Virginia -10
ABOUT MISSOURI (2015: 5-7): Odom’s defense ranked ninth in the nation in total defense and seventh in scoring defense a year ago, and the unit returns eight starters including star defensive end Charles Harris. The offense was a different story last season, but the Tigers are counting on sophomore quarterback Drew Lock to be much improved and new offensive coordinator Josh Heupel to rejuvenate the playbook. The addition of two graduate transfers – receiver Chris Black from Alabama and running back Alex Ross from Oklahoma – also should help Missouri improve upon last year’s paltry 13.6 points per game.
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (2015: 8-5): The Mountaineers boasted one of the nation’s top running games in 2015, but Holgorsen would like to see a more balanced offense with senior quarterback Skyler Howard returning along with an experienced receiving corps. Shelton Gibson gives Howard a big-play threat at receiver, but replacing top rusher Wendell Smallwood won’t be an easy task. The Mountaineers also have several key holes to fill on defense, including all three linebacker spots, with just three starters returning on that side of the ball.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Missouri has won 14 consecutive season-openers and 18 of 19 but has not opened with a true road game since a 40-10 loss at Texas in 1996.
2. The Mountaineers have won 12 consecutive home-openers dating to a 24-17 loss to Wisconsin in 2003.
3. West Virginia is facing its first SEC opponent since 2011 and is 24-25-1 all-time against teams from the conference.
PREDICTION: West Virginia 23, Missouri 19