Mizzou football: Predicting the rest of the Tigers’ schedule
After starting the 2019 season with a loss at Wyoming, the Missouri Tigers had 5 home games in 6 weeks, winning all of them. Following a 38-27 homecoming win over Ole Miss on Saturday night, the Tigers are now 5-1 and up to No. 22 in the AP Poll.
Now comes the hard part, though. The Tigers hit the road for 3 away games over the next 4 weeks, culminating with a Nov. 9 showdown in Athens against Georgia.
So, how will coach Barry Odom and the Tigers fare over the second half of their schedule? Let’s take a look at their remaining games and make some predictions:
At Vanderbilt: Oct. 19
Vanderbilt is down in the dumps right now. On Saturday, the Commodores were blown out at home by a UNLV team that entered the game with a 1-4 record. That 34-10 loss serves as a low point for the Derek Mason tenure, and things might just get worse.
There’s a chance Vandy could finish the year 1-11, and that would be a horrible look for Mason’s program. The Tigers can’t take this game for granted, but they’re catching the Commodores while they’re down, and this week’s contest has the chance to get ugly.
Score: Mizzou 40, Vandy 13
At Kentucky: Oct. 26
WR Lynn Bowden Jr. looked pretty good at quarterback against Arkansas, throwing for 78 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 196 yards and 2 scores. However, the Razorbacks’ defense isn’t nearly as good as Mizzou’s.
Whether Bowden is still playing quarterback in a couple of weeks or Sawyer Smith is healthy again remains to be seen. It shouldn’t matter, though. Even on the road, the Tigers should be able to snap a 4-year losing streak against Kentucky.
Score: Mizzou 38, Kentucky 17
At Georgia: Nov. 9
South Carolina just showed that Georgia is vulnerable this year, but the Bulldogs are still a great team. If anything, Saturday’s loss is going to make them more focused.
The Tigers will be coming out of a bye week to take on the Bulldogs, but I don’t see them pulling off this upset. However, it should be a heck of a game and Mizzou should have a chance to win in the 4th quarter. Will Odom be able to push the right buttons and get his team the victory?
Score: Georgia 28, Mizzou 27
Vs. Florida: Nov. 16
The Tigers have had the Gators’ number the past couple of years. This year’s Gators have looked much better, and I still think they’re a solid squad even after a loss at LSU in Week 7.
Mizzou is 5-0 at home this year. I see it being a very close game against Florida, but with Mizzou’s defensive improvements thus far, I give the Tigers a very slight edge. This could be Larry Rountree’s best game of the year.
Score: Mizzou 31, Florida 27
Vs. Tennessee: Nov. 23
Tennessee showed signs of life with a 20-10 win over Mississippi State on Saturday, but this game is in Columbia. Plus, Mizzou’s offense is much better than the Bulldogs’ offense, so Tennessee likely won’t be able to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.
Expect this game to be competitive early, but I see Mizzou pulling away in the second half.
Score: Mizzou 33, Tennessee 14
At Arkansas: Nov. 29
Arkansas hasn’t shown many signs of life this year. After a loss at Kentucky on Saturday, Chad Morris’ squad is in real danger of going 2-10 for a 2nd consecutive year. Yes, a game against Western Kentucky looks winnable, but there’s a real chance that the Hogs go 0-8 in SEC play again in 2019.
This game is in Little Rock, where anything can happen, but I trust the Tigers to once again take care of business and end the regular season (and possibly the year, depending on the NCAA’s upcoming ruling) on a high note.
Score: Mizzou 45, Arkansas 15