Missouri Tigers football at No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs: Time, TV and 5 things to know
The Missouri Tigers face their biggest challenge of the season when they head on the road to face No. 1 Georgia this Saturday.
Here are details and five things to know about the game.
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 11 a.m. Central time Saturday
Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia
TV: ESPN
Radio: KMBZ (98.1 FM)
The line: Georgia by 38
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. Undisputed No. 1. Georgia overtook Alabama for the top spot in the Associated Press poll on Oct. 10 and hasn’t looked back. The undefeated Bulldogs have been unanimously ranked No. 1 for four weeks. They’ve been utterly dominant in 2021, beating opponents by an average margin of 31.25 points.
2. Atop the SEC. The Bulldogs clinched a spot in the SEC title game with their 34-7 victory over Florida last Saturday. Only Alabama (1993) and Auburn (2004) have done so this early in the season. Georgia has made the conference championship in four of the past five years and looks to win its first title since 2017.
3. Beware of the defense. Georgia has the kind of defense that gives opposing offenses nightmares. The Bulldogs are only giving up an average 6.6 points per game, which leads the FBS. The defensive unit has only allowed opponents five touchdowns all season while scoring four of its own. Georgia also has the best red zone defense in the country (57.1%), ranks second in the nation in yards per game allowed (226.6) and leads the SEC in sacks (26).
4. Kansas City roots. The man behind the Bulldogs’ dominant defense hails from the Kansas City area. Dan Lanning, who was named Georgia’s defensive coordinator in 2019, was born in North Kansas City and traces his football roots to Missouri. Lanning attended Richmond High School and played linebacker at William Jewell College in Liberty. He then started his coaching career in the high school ranks at Park Hill South, where he coached special teams, defensive backs and wide receivers from 2008-10.
5. Another QB situation. The Tigers have already played three games this year against quarterbacks who weren’t named the starter when the season began. That number could jump to four this weekend, though it is likely to remain uncertain whether JT Daniels or Stetson Bennett will play until the game starts. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said last week that Daniels was back practicing, but Bennett started his fourth straight game last week.
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 12:57 PM.
