Three-minute preview: Kentucky at Missouri football

When/where: 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Columbia

TV/radio: SEC Network; KMBZ (98.1 FM)

The series: Tied 3-3

The line: Missouri by 4  1/2

What’s at stake

Forget bowl eligibility for now. Missouri’s a long way from needing to worry about that after last week’s homecoming loss against Middle Tennessee. Right now, the Tigers simply need to scratch the win column and end a three-game skid overall and nine-game skid in SEC play.

Cheers if ...

Missouri’s defense rallies together after losing two of its four best players to injury last week. Senior linebacker Michael Scherer’s storied Tigers career is finished after he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee against Middle Tennessee, while sophomore defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr. also is out with a torn ACL in his left knee.

Jeers if ...

Mizzou’s run game, which has brought balance to the offense, takes a step back. The Tigers ran for a season-high 368 yards last week against Middle Tennessee, backing up a breakthrough performance of 265 yards rushing at Florida. Kentucky’s run defense has steadily improved this season, but it’s still not a strength for Mark Stoops’ squad.

Tod Palmer’s pick: Missouri 34-31

Kentucky seeks its first three-game winning streak in SEC play since 1999 after narrow victories against Vanderbilt and Mississippi State sandwiched around a bye week, but Mizzou is the more desperate team. The Tigers are the lone remaining winless team in conference play and the Wildcats might be the easiest remaining game on the schedule.

Three things about Kentucky

1 It’s been a decade since the Wildcats finished .500 or better in conference, going 4-4 under Rich Brooks in 2006. Kentucky has a chance to get to the magical four SEC wins against Missouri, which would represent a big step for Mark Stoops’ program. History says it won’t be easy. UK has lost five straight road SEC games and is 1-25 on the road in conference since the start of the 2010 season.

2 Kentucky has the fewest number of scholarship seniors (11) among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams. Stoops said Wednesday on the SEC Coaches’ Teleconference that figure includes three former walk-ons who were put on scholarship before the season.

3 Running backs Stanley “Boom” Williams and Benny Snell Jr. have combined for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns through the first seven games. That includes 227 yards in last week’s 40-38 victory against Mississippi State on a 51-yard Austin MacGinnis field goal with 1:02 remaining.

Key matchup

Missouri’s front seven vs. Kentucky’s offensive line: If the Tigers don’t bottle up the Wildcats’ run game, the boo birds could return at Memorial Stadium. It won’t be an easy task without Scherer and Beckner, but Mizzou junior defensive end Charles Harris and company need to win at the line of scrimmage for Barry Odom to get his first SEC win.

This story was originally published October 27, 2016 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Three-minute preview: Kentucky at Missouri football."