Missouri Tigers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores: Kickoff time, TV, bet line, 5 things to know
The Missouri Tigers started Saturday with a bang and they never let up. After an improbable goal-line stand — stopping LSU on four straight plays inside the 1-yard line — MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s Tigers completed an exhilarating 45-41 win over the defending national champions.
There were a lot of helpful building moments, whether the defense’s physicality or the offense’s explosiveness and unique pass attack. But there were also the gaffes that kept Mizzou from running away with the game — namely costly turnovers that directly led to LSU points.
Drinkwitz said they’ll look at the tape for takeaways from Saturday’s win. The first-year MU coach said he couldn’t have been more proud of his team, a squad that didn’t “flinch” despite the teetering blows of the shootout.
The win goes down as Drinkwitz’s first victory in his MU tenure, and it was a big one by any measure. But there was no trophy awarded at the end of the game, Drinkwitz noted, pointing to the remaining seven games on the Tigers’ 2020 schedule.
Mizzou faces an SEC East rival in Vanderbilt this week — the same team that started the Tigers’ downfall last season. And the Tigers will be looking to avoid a hangover.
Here’s a look at this week’s game.
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Faurot Field, Columbia, Missouri
TV: SEC Network
Betting line: Missouri by 18.5
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
FIVE THINGS
- Finally favored. The Tigers are projected to win a game for the first time season. And for good reason. Mizzou started its 2020 schedule with three hefty opponents, all of whom were ranked going into those games. Coming into the season, an 0-3 start looked all too likely. Of course, Drinkwitz’s squad came out of that brutal opening stretch 1-2 after the LSU win. Now the Tigers get a relative breather.
- Don’t have a let-down. This should absolutely be a game Mizzou wins. But it’s not that simple. The Tigers are just one year removed from when the ‘Dores upset a ranked Mizzou team 21-14 to snap what was a five-game winning streak. While Drinkwitz’s team has moved on from the past — hence their “New Zou” moniker — the Tigers can’t afford to be caught sleeping.
- Vanderbilt still down. While the Commodores gave ranked Texas A&M a scare in their season opener, it’s been a slow grind since then: Vanderbilt has since lost to LSU and South Carolina. Vandy coach Derek Mason’s squad was picked to finish last in the preseason SEC media poll and will likely have a difficult time picking up a single win in 2020.
- COVID-19 impact will continue. Mizzou upset LSU without three starters and key depth pieces. Some absences are likely to continue against Vandy because of the SEC’s COVID-19 protocols. A positive test or contact tracing can knock out a player for two weeks — and oftentimes two games. At this point it’s unclear which Mizzou players might not be available, but the virus’ effects will likely carry over to Saturday’s game.
- Mizzou has its guy. In just his second career start, Connor Bazelak was dominant as MU’s QB. He completed more than 85% of his passes, throwing for 406 yards and four touchdowns. He passed the ball where only his receivers — a position decimated Saturday by COVID-19 — could catch it. At one point, he completed 15 straight passes. So the Tigers have their starter ... but as Drinkwitz inferred, fans and opponents might also expect to see a healthy dose of Shawn Robinson in specific sets and situations.