Missouri Tigers football vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Preview, TV, bet line, kickoff time
The showdown took a little longer than anticipated to arrive, but barring any setbacks this week with COVID-19, the Missouri Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks will finally meet for the Battle Line Rivalry.
The game was supposed to take place last Saturday, but COVID within the Hogs’ program forced the game to be postponed. Mizzou instead faced Vanderbilt, producing a 41-0 win, while Arkansas took the week off.
So the SEC was finally able to situate the MU-Arkansas game and reschedule it for Saturday. Both Mizzou (4-3) and Arkansas (3-5) have far surpassed preseason expectations. The Tigers are on a two-game winning streak, winners of four of their last five, and will likely finish third in the SEC East. And Arkansas picking up any wins at all wasn’t expected, considering it went winless in the SEC in 2018-19.
The rivalry didn’t generate much buzz at its inception, but there are some intriguing storylines now at this point in the season.
Here’s a look at this week’s game.
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium, Columbia, Missouri
TV: SEC Network
Betting line: Missouri by 3
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
FIVE THINGS
- Finally, yes, that old friend is back. Barry Odom was supposed to make his Faurot Field homecoming last Saturday, but he had to wait an extra week. Odom likely spent a little extra time game-planning for Drinkwitz’s offense and his old team. The former MU coach was fired after last season, finishing with a 25-25 record from 2016-19.
- Coach of the year? The rest of the league has been quick to point to Arkansas coach Sam Pittman as a potential SEC coach of the year. The Hogs started 3-3 in 2020, an impressive achievement after going winless the past two seasons. But MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz might have something to say about that. The Tigers were projected to finish sixth in the SEC East, but they’ve blown past those projections. The outcome of Saturday’s game might also determine who wins the league’s coach of the year award.
- Mizzou rolling. The Tigers are coming off their best performance of the season — a blowout win over Vanderbilt. They’re finally getting healthy along the trenches and showcasing who they can be when they’re at their best. Expect MU to build off that newfound momentum.
- Arkansas defense pesky. Much of Arkansas’ success has come from a defensive resurgence led by Odom. The Hogs lead the SEC with 17 forced takeaways, including a league-high 13 interceptions. MU will need to limit its turnovers to have a chance to win.
- Facing a mentor. MU defensive coordinator Ryan Walters was retained by Drinkwitz, but Odom had a significant impact on Walters’ career dating back to their Memphis days. It’ll be interesting to see which team finds an advantage here on Saturday.