ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Mizzou is preparing for its second SEC matchup against No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday, on October 11.
The Tigers are coming off of a bye week, following their 42-6 win against UMass on Sept. 27. Although the team enjoyed the time off, head coach Eli Drinkwitz told Sports on 4 that they’ve been taking advantage of it.
“We were able to really focus on finding our edge, finding ways to improve from the first five weeks, then recover,” Drinkwitz said.
The Tigers have knocked off South Carolina, but this upcoming game will determine if the team will be a playoff contender.
Category: Run game
Mizzou’s run game has been unstoppable this year. Sophomore Ahmad Hardy is currently leading the team with 730 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns. He led the Tigers against UMass with 130 yards and three touchdowns.
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Jamal Roberts is also a huge asset, trailing behind Hardy in rushing yards with 350, and averaging 7.3 yards per carry. With these two bulldozers in the backfield, the Tigers may have the advantage on offense against a tough Bama defensive line.
Can the defense hold it down?
The Tigers’ run defense has been a huge factor all season, averaging 56.8 yards allowed per game. They only allowed 19 yards against UMass and one touchdown. During its first SEC matchup against South Carolina, they held them to -9 yards.
Senior linebacker Josiah Trotter leads the defense with 28 total tackles, and safety Jalen Catalon is right behind him with 17. The Tigers’ pass defense showed improvement against UMass, and they hope to keep the same energy against the Tides’ offense.
About Alabama
This will be the ninth time the Tigers will face the Tide, and its first time playing them at home since 2020. The last time Mizzou beat Bama was in 1975. Last year, during the 2024 season, they lost 34-0 on the road.
The Tides’ offense is averaging 452 yards per game. They are led by Ty Simpson, who has thrown for 1,478 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. His main target, Germie Bernard, has caught 25 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns.
The game will start at 11 a.m. at Faurot Field.
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