Missouri hosts Alabama With Playoff Implications
As we approach the halfway mark of the SEC season, the playoff picture is starting to come into view. From a top 15 matchup in Columbia to the second ever Red River Rivalry in the SEC, fans are spoiled for choice this weekend. Here are three of the SEC’s biggest matchups this week and what to look for:
No. 10 Georgia vs Auburn
In the primetime slot for ABC this week, the Bulldogs go into enemy territory against an Auburn team hungry for a conference win.
Keys for Georgia
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton needs to get back to the strong plays he produced earlier in the season. He has struggled in his last two outings. Stockton averaged 163 passing yards per game, with two touchdowns and one interception.
Auburn’s pass defense looks to be the perfect rebound for Stockton. They sit in the bottom half of the conference and have surrendered 239 yards per game in conference.
Keys for Auburn
Against a Georgia team that has struggled against the pass this season, quarterback Jackson Arnold needs a big outing. While he put up a respectable showing against Oklahoma, Arnold struggled against Texas A&M. He completed 54.5% of his passes and didn’t throw a touchdown.
Georgia’s pass defense has been exploited by multiple opponents this season. It sits at the bottom five in the conference against the pass.
Tune in to this matchup at 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 14 Missouri
In the biggest game of the noon window, two playoff hopefuls will battle in Columbia.
Keys for Alabama
The Crimson Tide this season has been a team led by the passing game. Newly promoted starting quarterback Ty Simpson has thrived in his role, leading the conference in passer rating and passing yards.
In last week’s win against Vanderbilt, Simpson willed Alabama to victory. He threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns. Simpson needs a repeat performance Saturday against a Missouri team that’s weak against the pass.
Keys for Missouri
The elite offense coach Eli Drinkwitz built in Columbia has been powered by the running game. The Tigers lead the conference in rushing yards per game, with an astonishing 292 yards per game.
The Missouri rushing attack features the best back in the SEC today. One of the biggest grabs for the team this offseason was true sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy. Hardy, who transferred from Louisiana Monroe, amassed 1,351 rushing yards last season.
This season, Hardy leads the conference with 730 rushing yards, nearly 300 yards more than the closest SEC back. He also has an outstanding average of 7.1 yards per carry. Missouri will want to get the ball to Hardy as much as possible because Alabama is in the bottom five in conference against the rush.
Kickoff for this matchup is scheduled for noon on ABC.
No. 6 Oklahoma vs Texas
In one of the nation’s premier rivalries, the Red River Rivalry takes place for the second time in the SEC. For Texas, this game is a must-win to stay in the playoff picture.
Keys for Oklahoma
The biggest question mark for Oklahoma is the status of starting quarterback John Mateer. The transfer junior from Washington State was a Heisman contender after four weeks.
Mateer suffered a hand injury against Auburn, and he underwent surgery. He didn’t feature in their win against Kent State last week. He was listed as questionable in the Wednesday SEC availability report
Oklahoma will also need to make this a low-scoring game. Much of the Sooners’ perfect start is on the back of a revamped defense. To date, Oklahoma leads the SEC in yards allowed. They are also second in the nation in points allowed per game, with 7.2 points.
Keys for Texas
Texas must rebound in the running game to pull off a victory this week. After featuring as a top-half team in the SEC in rushing yards per game, the Longhorns managed just 52 against Florida.
With sophomore running back CJ Baxter likely out again, starting back Quintrevion Wisner must bounce back this week. Wisner posted season lows last time out, managing a 1.4 average and just 11 rushing yards on the day.
Texas starting quarterback Arch Manning must show improvement this week. After seemingly gaining confidence following a good performance against Sam Houston, Manning struggled against Florida.
Manning was on the run all day, getting sacked five times against the Gators. His offensive line play must improve and he must make quicker decisions moving forward.
Tune in to this rivalry matchup at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
Category: College Football, Football, SEC
