Ad Disclosure
Here are some quick thoughts on Missouri’s 29-21 at Tennessee.
What it means: Missouri (9-2, 6-1) is within a home win against Arkansas of clinching a second consecutive SEC East title. Gary Pinkel has a strong argument for the conference coach of the year award. The Tigers continue to dominate on the road, winning eight consecutive SEC games away from Columbia, Mo.
What I liked: Missouri shut down a Tennessee offense reinvigorated by QB Josh Dobbs. The defensive line dominated the game, but the defensive backs locked down UT’s talented young receivers. The Tigers defense lives on sacks and turnovers, and it got to Dobbs for a number of sacks and two turnovers. Jimmie Hunt, Bud Sasser, Russell Hansbrough and Marcus Murphy combined for 324 yards of total offense. Maty Mauk stayed in the pocket more often and took care of the football.
What I didn’t like: Missouri committed four pre-snap offensive penalties in the first half, continuing a string of false starts that has plagued the offensive line much of the year. The Tigers committed 15 penalties in all. It felt lucky that Missouri survived consecutive onside kick attempts late in the fourth quarter, but the team avoided any sort of meltdown.
Who’s the man: Markus Golden. The entire defensive line played a tremendous game, but Golden’s recovery of Dobbs’ fumble accounted for one of Missouri’s two turnovers. He also wracked up pressures and sacks.
Key play: Receiver Josh Malone dropped a would-be completion inside the Missouri 30-yard line, popping it in the air for a Kenya Dennis interception. Rather than entering field goal range down 16-13, Tennessee watched the Tigers score a critical touchdown to push the lead to 23-13.
What’s next: Missouri hosts Arkansas, which is playing lights-out defense. The Razorbacks beat LSU and Ole Miss by a combined 47-0.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.