Vanderbilt @ Missouri preview
Faurot Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 24, 2015 ) Missouri 3, Vanderbilt 10
Missouri’s best chance at picking up an SEC victory comes Saturday when the struggling Tigers host Vanderbilt in a matchup of SEC East bottom-feeders. The Tigers have lost five straight and remain winless in conference play, while the Commodores need to win two of their last three games to reach bowl eligibility.
The Tigers have struggled mightily in coach Barry Odom’s first season at the helm and are in danger of going winless in league play just two years after winning their second consecutive SEC East title. Vanderbilt is trending in the other direction, showing it can compete with the league’s powers, but is stinging from yet another moral victory in last week’s 23-16 loss at Auburn. “We’ve been there enough times that we need to take it home,” Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason told reporters. “Respect comes with winning. If we win more, we get a different type of respect.” The Commodores knocked off Missouri 10-3 last season in Nashville, evening the series at 2-2 since the Tigers joined the SEC.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: Missouri -3.5.
ABOUT VANDERBILT (4-5, 1-4 SEC): The Commodores’ biggest turnaround from a year ago is in their ability to protect the ball, as they have allowed an SEC-low eight turnovers and rank second in the league with a plus-6 turnover margin. The offense doesn’t put up big numbers, but running back Ralph Webb has been effective and quarterback Kyle Shurmur has managed the offense well. Zach Cunningham leads a solid defense with 13 1/2 tackles for loss among his team-high 94 stops and will be a challenge for a Missouri offense that allows the fewest tackles for loss in the nation.
ABOUT MISSOURI (2-7, 0-5): The Tigers have reversed the script from last season, as they have moved the ball effectively under first-year offensive coordinator Josh Heupel but have been unable to come up with defensive stops. Freshman running back Damarea Crockett has emerged as a strong complement to the passing game led by sophomore Drew Lock, who leads the SEC with 19 touchdown passes and ranks second with 2,517 yards despite an up-and-down season. Missouri has allowed 31 or more points in every game during its five-game skid and has been gashed on the ground during that stretch.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Commodores have scored on their opening possession in three straight games and are 3-2 when doing so this season.
2. Missouri P Corey Fatony has allowed only 57 yards of punt returns all season on 53 punts.
3. Vanderbilt’s Darrius Sims needs just 17 yards to break Mark Johnson’s school record for career kickoff return yards.
PREDICTION: Vanderbilt 24, Missouri 20