Matchup Breakdown: Joshua Dobbs vs Missouri pass rush
The Tennessee Volunteers (5-5, 2-4 SEC) look to extend their two-game winning streak Saturday as they host No. 19 Missouri (8-2, 5-1) at Neyland Stadium. The Vols are a 3.5-point favorite, despite facing the defending SEC East champion and current division leader.
Tennessee is 2-0 since naming Joshua Dobbs its starting quarterback. The sophomore has 790 passing yards, 289 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns (seven passing, four rushing). Dobbs has appeared in three games, making his debut against Alabama in Week 9.
Since facing the Tide, Dobbs has benefited from facing struggling defenses. South Carolina was held to zero sacks in Week 10 and Kentucky finished with one. On Saturday, Dobbs will face one of the nation’s best pass rushing duos in Shane Ray and Markus Golden.
Ray leads the SEC with 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. Golden has 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Missouri ranks No. 6 overall in sacks with a 3.4 average. The Tigers have 34 total sacks in 10 games.
Saturday’s game will be a major test for Dobbs. The sophomore has gained attention from the Tennessee fanbase and looks to be the quarterback of the future. Tennessee has a talented group of wide receivers in Pig Howard, Von Pearson, Marquez North and Josh Malone.
Dobbs has the ability to make plays through the air after evading the opposing pass rush. He will further prove his legitimacy with a strong performance against one of the SEC’s best pass rush tandems.