No. 22 Missouri vs. Connecticut: Three-minute college football preview

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

TV/radio: ESPN; KMBZ (98.1 FM)

The series: First meeting

The line: Missouri by 21

MISSOURI (2-0, 0-0 SEC)

CONNECTICUT (2-0, 0-0 American)

What’s at stake

A 3-0 start for the third consecutive season and the eighth time in Gary Pinkel’s 15 seasons at Missouri. The Tigers are facing a Connecticut team coming off a two-win season.

Cheers if …

Missouri’s defense continues to dominate. The Tigers lead the SEC in scoring defense, total defense and passing defense, allowing an average of 11.5 points, 209 yards and 90 passing yards through two games.

Jeers if …

The offense remains stuck in neutral. Obviously, not having senior running back Russell Hansbrough is a blow for the run game, but the Tigers still need to establish something with a physical presence up front. The passing game needs to shore up protection as well and eliminate drops.

Three things about Connecticut

1 The Huskies have a stout secondary, which is allowing a 51.2 completion percentage and only 137 yards per game. Granted, it was against Villanova and Army, but safeties Andrew Adams and Obi Melifonwu are NFL-caliber players.

2 Sophomore quarterback Bryant Shirreffs is a load at 220 pounds and backup running back Arkeel Newsome has been a nice complement in the backfield, racking up 126 yards from scrimmage on 21 touches this season.

3 Missouri running backs coach Brian Jones played offensive line at Connecticut and Chiefs general manager John Dorsey was an All-American linebacker for the Huskies and remains the career tackles leader with 495.

Key matchup

Connecticut’s O-line vs. Missouri’s D-line: Each starting offensive lineman for the Huskies checks in north of 300 pounds, so it’s the biggest line the Tigers have faced. Dominance up front, particularly by sophomore defensive end Charles Harris, has keyed the defense this season. Continuing that is a big key to victory.

MISSOURI OFFENSE

MISSOURI DEFENSE

CONNECTICUT OFFENSE

CONNECTICUT DEFENSE

Tod Palmer’s pick: Missouri 31-10

Missouri’s defense is dominant enough led by senior Kentrell Brothers, who leads the Football Bowl Subdivision with 32 tackles through the season’s first two games, that the outcome shouldn’t be in doubt.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "No. 22 Missouri vs. Connecticut: Three-minute college football preview."