Tennessee Vols at Missouri Tigers Preview & Prediction

[901 Orange]

I seem to be one of the few who is actually concerned about this game

I would have the same concern if I didn't see our defense destroy Spencer Rattler. His top WR is just as good as their's if not better. Rattler can spin the ball as well or better than Cook. I also saw Leary have his best game as a passer @ Kentucky with a tougher defense and it still wasn't enough. The 1 constant throughout our entire season has been if you can't slow our rushing attack down, you have no shot. Even if your QB has a hot hand (Leary)

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

No. Vols win.

I think so as well but I have a feeling it’s gonna go down to the wire

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

I would have the same concern if I didn't see our defense destroy Spencer Rattler. His top WR is just as good as their's if not better. Rattler can spin the ball as well or better than Cook. I also saw Leary have his best game as a passer @ Kentucky with a tougher defense and it still wasn't enough. The 1 constant throughout our entire season has been if you can't slow our rushing attack down, you have no shot. Even if your QB has a hot hand (Leary)

Our pass rush has been essentially MIA the past two weeks. And that’s against Kentucky and UCONN. If our front 7 were still playing at the level they were bs SC, I would agree with you. But there is definitely cause for concern. Missouri did good against UGA.

 

[FranklinVFL]

I seem to be one of the few who is actually concerned about this game

Nope. You are not. I am concerned with any road game. And Mizzou is not a pushover. They are solid and we will have to play 4 quarters or this could get ugly fast.

 

[vavolfan6]

I would have the same concern if I didn't see our defense destroy Spencer Rattler. His top WR is just as good as their's if not better. Rattler can spin the ball as well or better than Cook. I also saw Leary have his best game as a passer @ Kentucky with a tougher defense and it still wasn't enough. The 1 constant throughout our entire season has been if you can't slow our rushing attack down, you have no shot. Even if your QB has a hot hand (Leary)

I agree thst Rattler and Xavier Legette are both better than Brady Cook and Luther Burden. Though Hadden played a vital role in shutting down Legette and we won't have him for Mizzou.

But I also agree that Mizzou has to slow down our rushing attack to stand a chance and they have shown no ability to slow down our offense in the past. Don't see them stopping our run game on Saturday either. I could see another blowout. I get Mizzou played Georgia well on the road and they deserve credit for that. But I don't see what there is to like about them in this particular matchup. They are a poor man's version of our team.

 

[LETTERMAN88]

Our pass rush has been essentially MIA the past two weeks. And that’s against Kentucky and UCONN. If our front 7 were still playing at the level they were bs SC, I would agree with you. But there is definitely cause for concern. Missouri did good against UGA.

The fact that not a single holding call on the last 3 road games plays big time against your statement. If the refs were fair then we would have sacked the hell out of our last 3 road teams.

 

[901 Orange]

Our pass rush has been essentially MIA the past two weeks. And that’s against Kentucky and UCONN. If our front 7 were still playing at the level they were bs SC, I would agree with you. But there is definitely cause for concern. Missouri did good against UGA.

You literally made my point. Leary lit it up @ home and it wasn't enough because they couldn't stop us from running the ball. IDC how they played UGA because they played a much better UGA team close last year and we still destroyed them.

 

[901 Orange]

I agree thst Rattler and Xavier Legette are both better than Brady Cook and Luther Burden. Though Hadden played a vital role in shutting down Legette and we won't have him for Mizzou.

But I also agree that Mizzou has to slow down our rushing attack to stand a chance and they have shown no ability to slow down our offense in the past. Don't see them stopping our run game on Saturday either. I could see another blowout. I get Mizzou played Georgia well on the road and they deserve credit for that. But I don't see what there is to like about them in this particular matchup. They are a poor man's version of our team.

They played them closer last year and none of it mattered when they played us. I think styles make fights.

 

[sjt18]

Same conversation as the last two years. Mizzou could win. However UT has better players. UT has better coaches. The Vols should win. Margins are subject to a lot of things.

Officiating can turn this game in either direction.

 

[sjt18]

You literally made my point. Leary lit it up @ home and it wasn't enough because they couldn't stop us from running the ball. IDC how they played UGA because they played a much better UGA team close last year and we still destroyed them.

Mizzou can't win if UT runs the ball well. They will likely load up against the run, go man on the outside, and challenge Milton/Squirrel/Keyton/Thornton to beat them. If Milton is the Milton of the last 2 games... things will get real ugly for Mizzou.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

The fact that not a single holding call on the last 3 road games plays big time against your statement. If the refs were fair then we would have sacked the hell out of our last 3 road teams.

Ifs and buts. Fact is in college football this year holding just isn’t being called that much. Gotta get over it. So when we were sacking people like crazy, were holds being called then?

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Mizzou can't win if UT runs the ball well. They will likely load up against the run, go man on the outside, and challenge Milton/Squirrel/Keyton/Thornton to beat them. If Milton is the Milton of the last 2 games... things will get real ugly for Mizzou.

I see you are not even talking about our defense.

 

[sjt18]

I see you are not even talking about our defense.

If Banks plays soft coverage and gives 10 yard cushions "hoping" that Cook won't hit wide open receivers... the Vols are in trouble. I'm sort of counting on a better game plan than that. Mizzou's passing game had a good day vs K-State. Not exactly a team known for a 2 deep loaded with elite SEC caliber athletes.

LSU's D has improved some but still rank toward the bottom of the SEC in pass D.

UK is a near tie with LSU. USCe is dead last in pass D. UGA is obviously at the top.

This is relevant because UGA absolutely smothered Mizzou's passing O. UK with one of the worst pass D's in the conference held them to 214 yds and 66% completions. USCe with a horrible pass D held them to 60% and 200 yds. UT's pass D and pass rush are significantly better than LSU, UK, or USCe. Mizzou may shred the Vols. I will have to see it first.


I could very well be wrong. I may be underestimating the Tigers. But while everyone else was handwringing the last two years... I pretty much knew the Vols were a significantly better team.

 

[Toucan Sam]

I think the offensive line will open up holes for Wright and Sampson to run through.

 

[sjt18]

Ifs and buts. Fact is in college football this year holding just isn’t being called that much. Gotta get over it. So when we were sacking people like crazy, were holds being called then?

Some were. But more importantly they weren't being committed as often and not being called.

In the games being questioned... UT was called for holding. O and D. They were at best ticky-tack types of calls for the most part. Nothing like the one against Baron by Bama. Not even close.

Let's say you are "right" which you aren't... but let's pretend. That makes it all the more suspicious that it isn't being called "much" but when it is... it is only against UT and seemingly only at times when it erases good plays or spoils drives. I know you for some unknown reason want to believe that it is purely coincidental... but that is so cosmically unlikely that you cannot call it reasonable.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

I see you are not even talking about our defense.

The defense is probably going to give up points. How many remains to be seen. If UT is running on Mizzou and Joe is finding open WRs in man coverage, it is hard to pick against Heupel in that scenario. I trust Heupel more in a higher scoring game than ole Dinky. Mizzou's best chance to come away victorious is to slow down our run game forcing Joe to win with his arm. We have played better rushing defenses compared to the tigers through 9 games so I am optimistic that the rushing attack will continue to have success.

 

[wmcovol]

Rick N on Full Ride picked Tennessee. Mike Farrell, notorious Vol hater, picked Missouri.

 

[Volfan574]

I think it will be a close game but as long as our rb’s are healthy I don’t think we lose this, 28-24 or 34-30 type of game.

 

[volfeeva]

This game is a toss up and will be close score in the end. If we were playing at home, I'd favor the Vols, but on the road, I say it leans back to Mizzou.