Mizzou football vs. Auburn: Five things to know before MU Tigers’ homecoming game
Coming off a 45-3 blowout over UMass, No. 19 Mizzou returns to Columbia this week for an SEC clash.
There will be a Tigers vs. Tigers matchup at Faurot Field this Saturday for homecoming with Hugh Freeze and Auburn (2-4, 0-3 SEC) in town. Auburn is coming off a bye week but suffered another SEC loss at the hands of Georgia 31-13 last time it saw the field.
“Got a very difficult challenge this week,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said on Tuesday. “I think Auburn is a very dangerous football team.”
Here’s what you need to know ahead of Mizzou’s 113th homecoming kickoff...
Mizzou football vs. Auburn game details
Kickoff: 11 a.m Saturday, Oct. 19
Where: Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium (Columbia)
TV: ESPN
Radio: Tiger Radio Network
Betting line: Mizzou is a 4.5-point favorite (via FanDuel)
Over/under: 51.5
Five Things to Know
1. Auburn has one of the worst turnover margins in FBS. Tied for 130th, Auburn has a minus-11 turnover margin with 15 turnovers lost this season.
“When you look at the statistics that they have on both sides of the ball, there’s really only one glaring weakness that they’ve had, and it shows up in all their losses, which is turnovers,” Drinkwitz said.
2. Auburn’s third-down-conversion rate pairs nicely with Mizzou’s defense. Mizzou’s defense is allowing third-down conversions at just a 28.6% rate, good for 8th in the country. For Auburn, the offense converts on third down 41.9% of the time, outside of the top 50. That matchup favors Missouri.
3. Auburn is averaging 279 passing yards per game. Quarterback Payton Thorne was benched after Auburn’s Week 2 loss to Cal, but made his return the following week against Arkansas after freshman Hank Brown threw three picks in one half. Since his brief absence, he’s thrown for 751 yards (1,238 on the season), as Auburn ranks 27th across FBS in passing offense.
4. WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith is one of four receivers atop the SEC in touchdowns. Lambert-Smith has six on the season, with 510 yards across 24 receptions. Only one other Auburn receiver has more than one touchdown (Malcolm Simmons with two).
5. Mizzou has won its last seven homecoming games. For a tradition like no other, the Tigers look to extend that streak — and Drinkwitz looks to stay perfect in homecoming games leading the Tigers. He’s 4-0 in Columbia.
