Missouri Tigers football vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Preview, TV, kickoff time, bet line
Update: The Mizzou-Arkansas game originally scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday was postponed Monday because of COVID-19 concerns on the Arkansas team, the SEC announced. Mizzou will still play at 11 a.m. Saturday, but against Vanderbilt.
The Missouri Tigers have been the pleasant surprise of the SEC East, standing alone at third with a 3-3 record and real chance to finish strong. The Tigers are coming off a solid 17-10 win over South Carolina that, while not pretty, got the job done in spite of a depleted roster.
This week’s opponent, the Arkansas Razorbacks, have gotten some national attention of their own this fall. Led by first-year coach Sam Pittman and defensive coordinator Barry Odom — the former Mizzou coach — the Hogs enter this edition of the Battle Line Rivalry 3-5. While Arkansas has lost its last two games, it’s also succeeded in snapping a 20-game SEC losing streak — not bad for a team many predicted wouldn’t win two games in 2020.
Recent installments of the MU-Arkansas series haven’t generated much buzz, but this year’s game, with new coach Eliah Drinkwitz leading the way for the Tigers, offers some compelling storylines.
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium, Columbia, Missouri
TV: SEC Network
Betting line: Missouri by 2
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
FIVE THINGS
- An old friend: Mizzou’s final game under Odom was a 24-14 win over Arkansas in the 2019 season finale. Now Odom prowls the opposing sideline, hired by Pittman to lead the Hogs’ defense. In a fortunate-for-Mizzou twist, the game will be played at Faurot Field after being moved from Arrowhead Stadium because of the pandemic.
- Head-coaching ties: It isn’t just Odom who has ties to a Battle Line rival. Drinkwitz is from Alma, Arkansas, and started his coaching career in his home state. Pittman was Mizzou’s offensive line coach in 2000 under former MU coach Larry Smith.
- About the roster: Mizzou actually fell below the SEC’s roster threshold in its win at South Carolina, featuring 52 available scholarship players, one below the 53-player mandate. The Tigers should get more players back from quarantine or injuries throughout the week, but developments on this front are worth monitoring.
- Hello again, Franks: Mizzou fans should be familiar with Hogs quarterback Feleipe Franks, who transferred to Arkansas after starting his career at Florida. He’s had some success this fall, throwing for 17 touchdowns against four interceptions. Franks has also passed for at least 200 yards in every game.
- Tigers’ offense vs. Hogs’ defense: Odom’s specialty is defense. And it was arguably Mizzou’s struggles on offense that helped lead to his firing in Columbia. Now the MU offense is led by the sharp and creative 37-year-old Drinkwitz. Want an intriguing matchup? Start with the Drinkwitz-led MU offense against Odom’s Arkansas defense.
This story was originally published November 23, 2020 at 5:00 AM.