Mizzou football: 3 things Tigers fans should know looking ahead to South Carolina
By Steve Marik
Published:
The mess continues in the 2020 college football season, as 4 of the SEC’s 7 games this week were postponed.
Mizzou wasn’t one of the lucky teams that got to play, as their game against Georgia scheduled for Saturday didn’t happen. That’s a bummer, because the Tigers were going to catch the Bulldogs fresh off a loss to Florida in the Cocktail Party with a home game bright and early at 11 a.m.
That game had upset potential, and it’s a shame Eli Drinkwitz and his team didn’t get the opportunity.
But, alas, the Tigers’ focus now shifts to South Carolina. That game will hopefully be played next Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Williams-Brice Stadium.
While Mizzou relaxed and got some scouting in, the Gamecocks got the full Lane Kiffin experience in a 59-42 loss to Ole Miss. There are things Tiger fans already know about South Carolina heading into next Saturday’s game. Let’s dive into 3 of them:
Limit Kevin Harris and Shi Smith, and you likely win
South Carolina’s offense ranks middle of the pack in the SEC at 27.3 points per game.
It’s not up for debate — Harris and Smith are South Carolina’s best players on offense, and maybe on the team.
Harris is tied for 1st in the SEC in touchdowns with 14 and is averaging 130.8 yards from scrimmage — 116.7 rushing with 14.1 receiving — while Smith is averaging 85.1 receiving yards.
South Carolina’s defense isn’t very good, so there will be opportunities to score points all night. If Mizzou’s defense can at least limit the production of the Gamecocks’ 2 best players — yes, that’s easier said than done — a road win is likely.
South Carolina’s defense can be scored on
Losing out on the opportunity to play Georgia hurt. But the silver lining was that Drinkwitz and his staff got to watch South Carolina’s game with Ole Miss and create a game plan for next Saturday. The Gamecocks, however, have only 5 Mizzou films to dissect, the most recent of which is from Oct. 31.
Advantage: Drinkwitz.
The Gamecocks defense allows more than 30 points per game and struggles to stop the run. Could this be a Larry Rountree/Tyler Badie game? It definitely could be.
Pass rushes have gotten to Collin Hill; Mizzou’s should, too
South Carolina has given up 20 sacks — that’s 2nd-most in the SEC.
Hill, an oft-injured transfer quarterback from Colorado State, has had to play with pressure in his face all season. He has completed just 59 percent of his throws with 6 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Ouch.
Mizzou’s defense ranks last in the SEC with just 7 sacks. The Tigers’ rush has a chance to start turning up the heat on opposing quarterbacks, and South Carolina might be the team it starts with.
Trajan Jeffcoat is a guy on Mizzou’s D-line who has some talent rushing the passer. The 6-foot-3, 265-pound redshirt sophomore could have a big game in this one.
Follow veteran sportswriter Steve Marik on Twitter @YNTMarik.
