WELCOME TO MIZZOU FOOTBALL SATURDAY: HOMECOMING EDITION

The first half of the tailspin that has been Missouri football’s 2017 season is over. However, there is - somehow - a realistic path to getting to five or even (gulp) six wins from the Tigers’ current mark of 1-5. That journey starts now against Idaho.

Mizzou’s two game road trip to SEC foes Kentucky and Georgia saw a revitalized team that was begging to be seen or heard from in blowout defeats to Purdue and Auburn, but it still has its flaws.

The combination of the speed of the receiving corps (particuarly J’Mon Moore and Emanuel Hall) is finally being utilized, but with a tendency to rely on the deep ball a liiiiittle too much, the Tigers must prove against Idaho that they can nickel-and-dime their way to a score or two or three. Oh yeah, and the secondary/tackling issues on defense haven’t gone away.

The Vandals are in the midst of their final season at the FBS level in the Sun Belt, and despite quarterback Matt Linehan appearing on some pre-season NFL Draft boards, Idaho’s offense has been an anemic 114th in offensive S&P+.

The reason why they’re 2-4 overall at the moment, though, isn’t due to their offense; Bill C. took an intricate look at the Vandal D (which ranks 62nd in S&P+) earlier in the week, who is facing undoubtedly their toughest offense of the year thus far.

You want to say that this is a good game for Missouri to clear their heads in front of the Homecoming crowd and lay the wood to Idaho (Vegas has Mizzou at a comfortable -14), but it’s totally cool and understandable to feel uneasy. Missouri football has ways of surprising us, and they usually aren’t pleasant.

Nonetheless, Happy Homecoming!

M-I-Z...

WHO ARE WE PLAYING?: Idaho (2-4)

WHEN'S KICKOFF?: 11:00 a.m. CT

WHERE'S IT AT?: Faurot Field (71,168)

WHAT DOES VEGAS SAY?: Missouri -14

WHAT DOES S&P+ SAY?: Missouri by 3

WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN:

TV: SEC Network

RADIO: TIGER NETWORK (Mike Kelly, Howard Richards, Mike Gervino)

Television: SEC Network - Channel Finder

Radio: Tiger Radio Network // Sirius/XM -119/199

Twitter: @MizzouFootball

Facebook: Mizzou Football

Live Stats: StatBroadcast