Missouri Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide: Kickoff time, TV, line, five things to know
After a summer unlike any other because of the COVID-19 pandemic — and questions of whether there would be college football at all — it’s finally game week for the Missouri Tigers.
Other schools have already opened their season, including those in the Big 12 and ACC. The Big Ten is returning for a late-October start. The Pac-12 is at least working its way toward a season.
But all eyes are on the SEC this weekend. And Mizzou will be right at center stage, playing No. 2 Alabama. Mix in a national audience and it’ll be MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s long anticipated debut.
The Tigers got a brutal draw after adding Alabama and LSU to the schedule, but that’s life in the SEC, where 40% of Mizzou’s schedule is against preseason top-10 teams.
There are plenty of question marks for the Tigers, including at quarterback, offensive line and other key positional groups. A lot of those answers will be evident Saturday.
Here’s a look at this week’s game.
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri
TV: ESPN
Betting line: Alabama by 28
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
Who will be available? While kickoff is still a few days away, Mizzou is already down a dozen players against Alabama — and that number could creep up with more testing this week. The virus’ incubation period and SEC guidelines will sideline players who test positive for two weeks. While we don’t know who the 12 players are, that’s a rough start for the Tigers before kickoff.
Same ol’ Bama: Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide took a step back in 2019, though we’re talking in very relative terms here. Alabama had two losses in the regular season, keeping them out of the College Football Playoff for the first time since its implementation in 2014. But don’t worry, Alabama should still be among the elite of the SEC, slotting in at No. 2 in the AP poll.
Who’s at quarterback? This applies to both teams. It’s a battle between Shawn Robinson and Connor Bazelak for the Tigers right now. It’s the biggest question for Mizzou. On the flip side, Alabama chose between Mac Jones and Bryce Young, with Jones winning the job, according to Alabama’s first depth chart. Jones took over for Tua Tagovailoa for the final few games last year. But look out for Young, the former five-star quarterback vying for the job.
Faurot debut: If there is one positive to playing the Crimson Tide at the jump, the Tigers are at home to start the season. It won’t be a sellout crowd because of the pandemic, but MU expects around 11,800 fans. That’s still significant, and while the crowd noise likely won’t be much of a factor, familiarity helps when you’re the big underdog.
All-time records: It’s been a struggle for Missouri against Alabama ever since the Tigers joined the SEC — they’re 0-3 against the Crimson Tide. They’re 2-4 all-time vs. Alabama, with their first two wins coming in 1968 and 1975.
This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 12:13 PM.