Missouri-Georgia college football preview

When/where: 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Columbia

TV/radio: CBS (Chs. 5, 13); KMBZ (980 AM)

The series: Georgia leads 2-1

The line: Georgia by 3

MISSOURI (4-1, 1-0 SEC)

GEORGIA (4-1, 2-1 SEC)

What’s at stake

Control of the SEC East. Only Missouri, Georgia and Florida control their own fate in the division-title race. The Tigers, who are host to Georgia and travel to Florida next weekend, have a chance to bury all three teams who were picked ahead of them in the preseason media poll and get a leg up on returning to Atlanta.

Cheers if ...

Missouri’s defense holds Georgia under 30 points. No opponent has limited the Bulldogs to fewer than 35 this season, but the Tigers have been held to 27 points or fewer in the last two games and probably would prefer to avoid a shootout, especially if Jimmie Hunt and/or Darius White are unavailable again.

Jeers if ...

Missouri’s offense struggles again. The Tigers rank 12th in the SEC in total offense at 400 yards per game and rank in the bottom half of the conference in scoring offense, time of possession and pass efficiency. To contend for a division crown again, Missouri needs to get cranked up on offense, especially on third down.

Three things about Georgia

1 The Bulldogs will definitely miss junior running back Todd Gurley, who was suspended indefinitely Thursday. He is the active Football Bowl Subdivision leader in average rushing yards per game at 108.5. He also ranks second in Bulldogs history with 43 touchdowns.

2 Georgia’s defense has been stingy on third down. Opponents convert only 29.3-percent of the time, which is fourth best in the SEC. The Bulldogs’ talented linebacker trio of Amarlo Herrera, Ramik Wilson and Jordan Jenkins is a big reason why. Collectively, they average 21.6 tackles, including 2.8 for a loss.

3 Aaron Murray’s successor, senior quarterback Hutson Mason, has yet to throw for more than 191 yards. Gurley’s 50-yard pass last week against Vanderbilt is Georgia’s longest play through the air. Murray threw for fewer than 191 yards in only four games during the last two seasons before joining the Chiefs.

Key matchup

Georgia running backs vs. Missouri’s LBs: South Dakota State’s Zach Zenner, Toledo’s Kareem Hunt, Indiana’s Tevin Coleman and South Carolina’s Mike Davis all topped 100 rushing yards against the Tigers. Linebackers Michael Scherer, who is second in the SEC with 50 tackles, and Kentrell Brothers, who played spectacularly at South Carolina, must control Georgia’s ground game

MISSOURI OFFENSE

MISSOURI DEFENSE

GEORGIA OFFENSE

GEORGIA DEFENSE

Tod Palmer’s pick: Missouri 34-31

Georgia will be motivated to atone for last season’s loss, but Missouri’s offense will be at least as motivated to flush a poor performance at South Carolina. The Bulldogs will miss Todd Burley. With a bye week to rest and recuperate, ), the Tigers won’t miss an opprtunity to take firm control of the SEC East.

Tod Palmer, tpalmer@kcstar.com

This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 8:47 PM with the headline "Missouri-Georgia college football preview."