Rock M Nation - 2019 Mizzou Football: Week 2 vs West VirginiaA Blog for Ol' Mizzouhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50319/rmn-fav.png2019-09-11T08:30:00-05:00http://www.rockmnation.com/rss/stream/206116322019-09-11T08:30:00-05:002019-09-11T08:30:00-05:00Film Room: Mizzou Defense Clamps Down
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<img alt="NCAA Football: West Virginia at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yODmTp1wOiCRgFdPjaS9r2qDIXQ=/0x221:3224x2370/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65223146/usa_today_13321867.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Tigers stifled the Mountaineer attack as well as our concerns about their ability to stop the run, for the time being.</p> <p id="My4NCs">As great as it was to see Mizzou amp up its run game, consistently sustain drives, and score points, to me the big story from Saturday’s game was the defense. After Wyoming bulldozed the Tigers to the tune of almost 300 yards, Missouri held West Virginia to <em>a tenth</em> of that.</p>
<p id="LSOybf">And the Tigers were able to generate pressure on passing downs. The pass rush was a concern this offseason, but defensive coordinator Ryan Walters found creative ways to put heat on Mountaineer quarterback <span>Austin Kendall</span>. Kendall was sacked three times and under pressure all day.</p>
<p id="cuKlxZ">What accounts for these strange phenomena, this reversal of trends we saw in Laramie? Well, one factor was certainly West Virginia’s ragged offensive line, which got thrashed by the Mizzou front seven all day long. </p>
<p id="guTT2E">This encapsulates the kind of day it was for the Mountaineer hogs:</p>
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<p id="2iGAfE">Today in Film Room, we will look at a few plays that I found interesting and that represent Missouri’s success against the run and in defense on passing downs against West Virginia.</p>
<h2 id="B3ufaX">Tigers v. the run</h2>
<p id="jXqyRZ">To successfully stop the run, each player must control an assigned gap, align to make accounting for that gap possible, and there must be a system for trading gaps based on the offensive blocking scheme. I’ve chosen two plays that - I hope - illustrate the connection between scheme, alignment, and technique in defending the run.</p>
<h3 id="O0EluG">Steering the ball inside</h3>
<p id="W1qFtz">The first example is a 2nd and 10 in the first quarter. West Virginia aligns with twin receivers to the left and an H back wing to the right.</p>
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<p id="kHEMRg">The play is Counter Trap GH. (I discussed Counter Trap GT and GH in an<a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/8/6/20752371/film-room-missouri-running-game-kelly-bryant-derek-dooley"> earlier installment</a> of Film Room)</p>
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<figcaption>Counter Trap GH</figcaption>
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<p id="CXHSr5">Missouri is playing man coverage, which allows the strong safety, <span>Ronnell Perkins</span> (#3), to align in the box.</p>
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<figcaption>SS slides into run box</figcaption>
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<p id="q43QSm">With the extra defender, West Virginia is outmanned in the run box. The H back pulls around for Perkins, leaving <span>Cale Garrett</span> (#47) unblocked.</p>
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<figcaption>Garrett (#47 in red) is unblocked.</figcaption>
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<p id="7Atktd">Here’s how that worked out for the Mountaineers.</p>
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<p id="g51lCG">Let’s take note of the technique defensive end <span>Jatorian Hansford</span> (#28) uses and how that technique corresponds to the Tigers’ alignment and scheme. </p>
<p id="GfdILy">As you can see from the Counter Trap diagram, the offense is trying to trap, or kick out the defensive end in order to run the ball inside of him. Hansford comes upfield, allowing himself to be trapped by the pulling right guard. This seems bad at first blush, but there is a method to this reaction. Perkins, who cannot be accounted for by the blocking scheme, is aligned inside of Hansford. By coming upfield, Hansford funnels the ball inside to the unblocked man. Then Hansford quickly disengages and gets in on the tackle.</p>
<p id="5QsvOR">Perkins does get blocked, however, but in doing so frees Garrett to make the tackle. </p>
<p id="YY0rCU">Finally, in a valiant and desperate attempt to log an easy assisted tackle, Perkins finishes things off by performing a graceful swan dive onto the pile.</p>
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<h3 id="suM5WI">“Spilling” the ball outside</h3>
<p id="0WG7cQ">Our second example comes out of the same formation, this time with the strength flipped: the wing is on the left rather than the right.</p>
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<p id="nWrW4X">The play is the same as well: Counter Trap to the twin receivers. </p>
<p id="nVXkWi">Comparing this play to the previous one, we should notice the different alignment of the strong safety, in this case <span>Khalil Oliver</span> (#20). Whereas Perkins was lined up in the run box, <span>Oliver</span> aligns outside the box, in what is called an overhang position.</p>
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<figcaption>Strong Safety (#20) aligned outside run box.</figcaption>
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<p id="KRbYgN">Counter Trap against this front would be drawn up this way.</p>
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<figcaption>Counter Trap to overhang</figcaption>
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<p id="IX6QlU">Oliver should be an unblocked defender. But since he is outside the box, the run fits, or gap assignments, change to steer the ball to him.</p>
<p id="kEOj2f">The major change is the technique of the playside defensive end. Notice left end <span>Chris Turner</span>’s (#39) reaction to the Counter Trap and how it differs from Hansford’s technique above.</p>
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<p id="UeD7qg">This is known as a “wrong-arm” technique. Whereas Hansford came upfield to turn the ball inside to an unblocked Perkins, <span>Turner</span> slices underneath the trap block, preventing the ball carrier from running inside of him. The goal of this technique is to “spill” the ball to the outside, in this case to an unblocked Oliver in an overhang alignment. </p>
<p id="MbJVg9">As before, the H back ends up blocking the strong safety. And, once again, this means there is no one to block Garrett.</p>
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<figcaption>Turner (#39) spills. Garrett (#47) is unblocked.</figcaption>
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<p id="5ATEKO">A friendly piece of advice for Missouri’s offensive opponents: at least <em>try</em> to block #47, the Tigers’ tackling machine.</p>
<p id="IMwv2y">Watch again.</p>
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<p id="tJDzl4">Defense is about eleven players doing their assignments based on the scheme those assignments fit into. The above plays show the Tiger defensive ends doing just that, which gives some insight into the success Mizzou had defending WVU’s ground attack.</p>
<h2 id="pHGnD9">Tigers v. the pass</h2>
<p id="rOkPZ2">On Saturday, the Tigers were able to establish the quarterback pressure that has recently been so elusive recently. The pressure came almost exclusively on blitzes. (I previously examined some of the blitzes Walters used last year in <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/8/27/20753099/film-room-mizzous-third-down-defense">this piece</a>.) <span>Austin Kendall</span> was frequently hurried, hit, or sacked when he dropped to pass. He suffered a sliced hand on this hit by <span>Nick Bolton</span> (#32).</p>
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<p id="aF6tWu">Walters threw a bunch of blitzes at the Mountaineer offense on passing downs, and in this section, we will look at a single defensive play on a passing down to understand one of the creative schemes Walters used to manufacture pressure on QB Kendall.</p>
<h3 id="NANYNA">Fitting the rush to the protection scheme</h3>
<p id="rorPBD">The Mountaineers set twin receviers to each side on this third-and-long. Mizzou counters with a four-down line with two defenders, Cale Garrett (#47) and <span>Tyree Gillespie</span> (#9), at the line of scrimmage, threatening the A-gaps (gaps between the center and guards).</p>
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<p id="EGssQL">On the snap Garrett rushes while Gillespie drops into coverage. The coverage is Cover 1: man-to-man with a single deep safety.</p>
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<figcaption>Five-man blitz</figcaption>
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<p id="JiKXVH">West Virginia has six blockers to deal with Missouri’s five rushers, but Garrett slides off the running back’s block to drop Kendall for a sack.</p>
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<p id="Dvtx1D">Let’s look a bit closer at the Mountaineers’ protection. The center steps to the right, looking to block Gillespie, and the running back picks up—or attempts to pick up—a charging Garrett.</p>
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<figcaption>Pass protection vs. five-man blitz</figcaption>
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<p id="dCVagI">Having the blitzer matched on the back rather than the center is advantageous, as the result suggests. But were the Tigers fortunate that the center stepped away from Garrett, or did they make their own luck? Let’s take a quick look at how the WVU pass protection works, then try to answer that question.</p>
<h4 id="zTwCga">Half Slide Pass Protection</h4>
<p id="frzoFx">The most popular protection scheme, and the one West Virginia employs here, is called half-slide protection.</p>
<p id="PtLHZ6">The basics of half-slide protection:</p>
<ul>
<li id="DBVb8s">The center steps in the direction to which the line is sliding. Each man in the slide is responsible for his outside gap. (The slide side is in green in the below diagram.)</li>
<li id="4EbXty">The side away from the slide is in man protection, responsible for the down linemen to their side. (The man side is in orange.)</li>
<li id="ruMtpP">The running back blocks away from the center, to the man-protection side. This puts three blockers to each side. The back is “double-reading,” looking first at the inside-most threat on his side, and then to the edge. (The double-reading back is in blue.)</li>
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<figcaption>Half-slide protection to the right versus an 8-man front.</figcaption>
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<figcaption>Half-slide protection to the left versus the same front.</figcaption>
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<h4 id="Ms067o">Reading the Protection</h4>
<p id="vGrVoQ">As we saw, West Virginia’s center started the slide to the defense’s right, leaving the running back to pick up Garrett on the blitz.</p>
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<figcaption>Garrett blitzes and Gillespie drops</figcaption>
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<p id="k9aDz2">I think, however, the fact that the blitz was away from the slide protection was more than a lucky guess by <span>Ryan Walters</span>. I believe the Tigers are running a scheme that forces the back to protect no matter which way the line slides. Here’s how: <em>Both A-gap players are reading the center. The man to the backside of the center’s first step blitzes, the other drops into coverage.</em></p>
<p id="KdHOwU">Both Garrett and Gillespie rush forward, but once the center takes his first step to Gillespie’s (#9) gap, Gillespie drops.</p>
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<figcaption>Center steps to defense’s right. Garrett blitzes.</figcaption>
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<p id="pDzFqr">If the center had stepped to the defense’s left, Gillespie would have blitzed and Garrett would have dropped.</p>
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<figcaption>Center steps to defense’s left. Gillespie blitzes.</figcaption>
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<p id="KeCbJi">This scheme ensures that the back, rather than the center, will block the blitzer.</p>
<p id="e8Rwmq">Watch Gillespie rush toward his right A-gap, occupying the center’s attention before dropping out.</p>
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<p id="L9TK6e">The defense gets several advantages from this scheme, two of which are:</p>
<ul>
<li id="icz5yj">The blitzer is always isolated on the running back, presumably the weakest pass protector.</li>
<li id="ARp8lj">The center is always left with no one to block and, having set his focus on a potential blitz to his gap, cannot recover to help another protector.</li>
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<p id="YEMJjD">Here’s the tight shot. Watch Garrett defeat the running back’s block with a nifty quick-swim move.</p>
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<p id="iHa9VM">This scheme is a creative way of ensuring the best match-ups for Tiger pass-rushers, and it paid off here with a huge 3rd down stop.</p>
<h2 id="SRKmaZ">Conclusion</h2>
<p id="iH6CIp">I’d like to conclude by posing a few questions related to the two topics we’ve covered here—the Mizzou run defense and passing-down defense.</p>
<h4 id="BGfamH">Run Defense</h4>
<ul><li id="RDSsWR">Just how good is the Tiger rush defense based on its dominance of WVU?</li></ul>
<p id="3dxbJ2">We can’t judge the Tigers’ potential for run-stopping without a sense of how strong or weak the West Virginia run game is. WVU is a team that rushed for a measly 34 yards against James Madison. It could be that Mizzou looked good because they were feasting on a terrible offensive line.</p>
<p id="dFQo3s">With Southeast Missouri State as this week’s opponent, this is probably not an issue we can evaluate until South Carolina visits Faurot in two weeks.</p>
<ul><li id="N7VAtG">How much depth is there at defensive tackle?</li></ul>
<p id="5djJly">When the second defensive unit took the field in garbage time, freshmen <span>Isaiah McGuire</span> and <span>Darius Robinson</span> took the field first, rather than upperclassmen <span>Chris Daniels</span> and Antar Thompson. This suggests that Daniels and Thompson will not be contributors this year.</p>
<p id="1Yss20">Why are the fifth and sixth DTs important to the run defense? If DL coach Brick Haley doesn’t believe he can go deeper than a four tackle rotation, it is unlikely we see <span>Akial Byers</span> at DE at all this year. I’ve thought lining up Byers on the edge against run-heavy offenses (such as Wyoming’s) would be a good use of a versatile player when the smaller ends are getting abused. This kind of insurance appears to be unavailable, at least for the time being.</p>
<h4 id="ooRnIB">Long Yardage Pass Defense</h4>
<ul><li id="Q4setH">Are the DBs the ballhawks they appeared to be?</li></ul>
<p id="Y29p5L">Strong safety Ronnell Perkins had the season’s first interception by a Tiger defensive back, and Missouri DBs defended several other passes. I counted four other times Tiger DBs had a chance to pick off Kendall. Can we expect such ballhawking to continue?</p>
<ul><li id="r6FhXW">Will the DEs produce?</li></ul>
<p id="uEikSA">Yes, the Tigers put pressure on Kendall, but almost none of it was applied by a four-man rush. As many of us feared, the defensive ends just haven’t offered much production to this point. Will we see improvement from the guys who are playing now? Will Trajan Jeffcoat make a difference when he returns?</p>
<p id="n94kWj">We will be looking for answers to these questions among others in future installments of Film Room.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/11/20855124/film-room-mizzou-defense-clamps-downTim Bussen2019-09-09T12:13:46-05:002019-09-09T12:13:46-05:00Nick Bolton Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week
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<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Sophomore linebacker impresses in Saturday’s win over West Virginia</p> <p id="cFV0Qn">After his stellar performance in Saturday’s 38-7 win against West Virginia, Missouri sophomore linebacker <span>Nick Bolton</span> was named <a href="https://twitter.com/MizzouFootball/status/1171090889113882624">SEC Defensive Player of the Week today</a>, and rightfully so.</p>
<p id="W8C964">In the Tigers’ dominating victory, Bolton rose to the occasion and it seemed like he was EVERYWHERE— finishing with 10 total tackles and three tackles for loss. He also had <em>two</em> interceptions (!!), with one going for a pick-six. Those interceptions, by the way, just so happened to be the first of Bolton’s young career, and he became the first Missouri linebacker with two interceptions in a game since <span>Kentrell Brothers</span> in 2015 (against Arkansas State), and the first with at least one going for a pick-six since <span>Sean Weatherspoon</span> in 2008 (against Illinois).</p>
<p id="iFwkgL">“Our card said takeaways equal victory so we made that a focus point this week,” Bolton said after the game on Saturday, referencing the business card-style cards given out to team members last week. After starting the season with a negative-three turnover differential, Missouri turned that around with a positive-three turnover against West Virginia. </p>
<p id="N2hieB">Bolton definitely did his part, and it was an all-around impressive defensive performance from Missouri on Saturday. Let’s hope this is the Missouri defense we see as the season goes on. </p>
<p id="rkAtvn"><a href="https://www.secsports.com/article/27577442/football-players-week">Here are the rest of the SEC Players of the Week awards for Week 2.</a></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019-mizzou-football/2019/9/9/20857204/nick-bolton-named-sec-defensive-player-weekSammy Stava2019-09-09T10:30:00-05:002019-09-09T10:30:00-05:00FanPulse 3.0: Clemson might be tough to move out of the top spot for, like, a WHILE
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<p>Keep voting, but I do have a slight bone to pick. </p> <h1 id="yDyDXg">Week 2 of College Football is has come and gone, and so have our FanPuse votes!</h1>
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<p id="s9M6pT">If you’re signed up, this week should be a more regular week, where the poll goes out Saturday night and stays open until late on Sunday. I was still watching football when the ballot came out and just decided to vote right away. This did mean I may not have accurately ranked the West Coast teams, but who really cares about the Pac-12... AM I RIGHT, YOU GUYS?</p>
<h3 id="5QjH3x">If you still want to sign up, YOU TOTALLY CAN. <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/survey-taken/?sm=gbfNh7JWcdBBcXsZeXqeJEqbZNGla4FTwZwFn_2F_2F0VP9KhQUNb6RgbgeKzsRXa4ibT1_2BJY_2F_2FwLCuFC4x_2Fve6C4er6P_2FHJ1pchETBGY9HI_2B_2F4_3D">Click HERE to sign up!</a>
</h3>
<p id="tYcAYT">Obviously for Tigers fans, we know after Saturday’s performance in Laramie, Mizzou very much deserves to be left off the list. And for Missouri to be ranked, they probably need to run off two or three wins in a row... at least. So let’s hope for that. </p>
<h2 id="n6UPo1">Here is how the votes went:</h2>
<p id="022GLZ"><em>(Trying a new format, next to the ranking is the difference in spots between the National voting and our voting)</em></p>
<div id="Oc4Msg"><div data-anthem-component="table:8836871"></div></div>
<p id="k8RP5d">Also receiving votes were: Boise State, Army, Stanford, Memphis, Virginia</p>
<p id="0gESX3">It will be interesting to watch the bottom 10 teams, all of whom I’m pretty sure Missouri might be better than... and how much the Tigers have to do in order to get back into the conversation after stubbing their toe in Laramie. It looks like they righted the ship on Saturday, but I do have one bone to pick. </p>
<p id="UWukcN">Let’s talk about Fan Confidence.... Last week it was 27%. This week?</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ElpdS_ESCmDrRwW3jOQyVX2yTss=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19181007/mizzou_2.jpg">
</figure>
<p id="e0bJ52">That’s a... checks math... SIXTY-EIGHT PERCENT SWING. That was the largest swing of any school with more than 10 votes. I realize winning makes everyone feel better, but a 68% difference is a lot. A LOT. I tend to think Fan confidence shouldn’t be <strong>directly </strong>tied to whether you win or not on a week-to-week basis, but it should be a little bit more trend-based, right? </p>
<p id="HeTwXV">So while I’m thrilled we have solid participation in something I consider to be pretty fun... WOW, that’s a swing of emotions. Maybe the poll would be a little better if it was less of a yes/no question, because I’m like 82% sure Mizzou is on the right path. </p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/9/20856967/sbnation-fan-pulse-fanpulse-voting-top-25-clemson-alabama-georgiaSam Snelling2019-09-09T06:30:00-05:002019-09-09T06:30:00-05:00Don’t know what to think of Missouri? Join the club
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: West Virginia at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3wIjT6Ur-aSG3SD5p1YAfz7D9hU=/0x0:4662x3108/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65206975/usa_today_13321869.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Tigers are an anomaly after just two games, and there’s no telling what they’ll do next.</p> <p id="t2KV3F">In sports, like in life, we’re almost always afraid of the unknown.</p>
<p id="5z5fYv">As humans, our brains crave certainty... or at the very least, the idea of it. It’s why we love a good story with resolution. We can see the pieces put together to make up a beginning, a middle and an end. Our primal need for certainty can also be attributed to widespread fears of: death, the dark, the ocean and Nicolas Cage movies (yikes). Try as we might, we’ll never be able to probe all the mysteries these things hold. Uncertainty takes hold and we’re left looking for something else to put us back on solid ground.</p>
<p id="gtUac9">Therefore, the very nature of sports make it a hilariously bad — but also weirdly good? — place for us to turn when seeking to fill this void. All sports are made up of a series of small stories (who scores first? who scores more? who wins more?) that end in glorious victory or abject defeat, each building on the last until one team hoists a shiny trophy and everyone else sulks. Then they all start over again. </p>
<p id="9ObF3t">The point is, we can never have certainty in sports until the very end. There will always be questions to ask, and the answers we get will be wholly unsatisfying in the light of the next set of questions headed our way.</p>
<p id="2bvPDG">That brings us to Missouri, a team seemingly engineered to bring out the fear of the unknown in its loyalists.</p>
<p id="QgG1f2">There are more than a few reasons to be certain, without question or doubt, that Missouri is Confirmed Good™ at football. Just look at this list: The quarterback has a championship pedigree, the tight end is a future NFL star in the making, there are a handful of all-conference talents on both sides of the ball, the coach has improved the team’s record in every season so far and has the <a href="https://twitter.com/StavaonSTL/status/1170417247183155201?s=20">same overall record</a> through 40 games as his predecessor, one of the two great coaches the program has ever employed. See what I mean?</p>
<p id="GpKnS6">There are also a concerning number of reasons to be totally sure, without question or doubt, that Missouri is Confirmed Just OK™ at football. On this list: They’re prone to self-defeat, they oftentimes seem unprepared or unfocused, they have a history of struggling against both prey and predator teams, and while being <em>fine </em>isn’t the worst thing in the world of college football, it’s hard to get excited about a program that seems like one of many in <a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019-mizzou-football/2019/9/8/20854687/mizzou-football-college-football-barry-odom-west-virginia-dominant-win">the sport’s soft middle</a>.</p>
<p id="tEGGc7">How you choose to look at Missouri’s first two games — and maybe the past few years as an extension — mostly depends on your general outlook on life. Do you need to see to believe? Are you comfortable investing yourself on the word of someone you barely know? Have you been burned one too many times? Are you throwing caution to the wind on the regular? </p>
<p id="jTWS88">We tend to evaluate the ebbs and flows of a football season in a harsh dichotomy. One week leaves you feeling like you could wrestle a whole tide of crimson (I just now realized that doesn’t work), and the next leaves you certain you’d fall victim to the woeful likes of teams named after fake birds and volunteers. And when you get too high or too low, someone — your friendly neighborhood sports blog, perhaps? — comes along to remind you, “Hey, no need to fret. You just gotta keep livin’, man. L-I-V-I-N.”</p>
<p id="KAh1vX">The problem is, that’s not how our brains work. We long for a solid foundation on which to stand and drive ourselves crazy looking for one. So far, Missouri hasn’t offered one up. And until they do, every opinion is valid. We’ll all just be fumbling around in the dark, afraid and intrigued by what the next Saturday has to offer.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/9/20856412/missouri-tigers-football-west-virginia-win-uncertaintyJosh Matejka2019-09-08T14:35:00-05:002019-09-08T14:35:00-05:00Back on Track: A Different Missouri Team Shows Up Against West Virginia
<figure>
<img alt="West Virginia v Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cMiJm7Gx2SPzkM6iQ21LxsFHUKQ=/0x282:3000x2282/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65204271/1172974049.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Missouri bounces back in their home-opener to avoid an 0-2 hole </p> <p id="Dz9ZPi">For a Week 2 non-conference match up in a home opener, this was as close to a must-win as you can get. Missouri put themselves in that position by losing to Wyoming to start the season, but a convincing 38-7 win over West Virginia in <span>Kelly Bryant</span>’s home debut jumpstarted the all-important, five-game home stand on the right note. With this win, Missouri has avoided their first 0-2 start since 1996. </p>
<p id="ADNmoI">This was a completely different Mizzou team who showed up for the second game of the season— and the one that many were expecting to see. </p>
<p id="ttOnvQ">And it’s <em>almost</em> like turnovers are a critical part of the game. When Missouri has a negative-three turnover differential, they can lose to anyone. When Missouri has a positive-three turnover differential, they can beat anyone. Okay— I know that’s true of basically any team in college football.</p>
<p id="ezrDEb"><em>Offensive Player of the Game</em>: Kelly Bryant. He did exactly what he needed to do and it was more than enough for the win. 15/27, 150 yards, three touchdowns, and most importantly— zero turnovers. We’ll take that performance every Saturday, Kelly. </p>
<p id="N8yWYD"><em>Defensive Player of the Game</em>: Nick Bolton. With two interceptions and one that went for a pick-six, we’re starting to see the kind of potential he has. </p>
<p id="ABDaB6">Here are some main takeaways from this much needed win. </p>
<h1 id="qbWdUn">
<strong>Missouri Responded in a Big Way</strong>: </h1>
<p id="TqDc5U">West Virginia is in for a rebuilding year and they played pretty poorly, but any win over a Power-Five opponent and Big 12 foe after a season-opening loss gives everyone— the team and fans alike— a way to rid themselves of the bad taste leftover from the previous week. It’s frustrating when it seems like it always has to get to this point, but Barry Odom is at his best when having to respond after tough losses. “We’re defined by how we respond from every opportunity that we get,” Odom said in his post-game press conference. </p>
<h1 id="5rrwLy">
<strong>This is What Missouri is Capable of:</strong> </h1>
<p id="SrgM20">Missouri has <em>way</em> more potential than what it showed against Wyoming— everybody knows that— but they needed to come out and prove it. They did just that on Saturday, and everything seemingly went according to plan. The only thing to <em>really </em>nitpick is the penalty issue— committing 10 penalties for 100 yards ain’t great, you guys, but in the end it didn’t really matter. </p>
<p id="Rz1gUZ">This is a dangerous Missouri team when they play to their full potential, and if they play like this consistently throughout the season, this team is going to be pretty tough to beat. How often they play to it is the question that remains to be seen. </p>
<h1 id="GnPQJ7">
<strong>Barry Odom is 20-20 through his first 40 games</strong>: </h1>
<p id="Esrxoa">Interestingly enough, that is the same record that Gary Pinkel had through his first 40 games as Mizzou’s head coach. Now, I understand these aren’t exactly the same situations as Missouri is now playing in a different conference and different expectations surround the program, but it <em>is</em> worth pointing out. It takes time to build a college football program, and record-wise, Odom is on an identical path with Pinkel— which could bode well for Odom’s future. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Football: West Virginia at Missouri" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/xl5BoNGoS-EupchrV5JnodVapd8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19177156/usa_today_13322377.jpg">
<cite>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="PXBNGV">Overall, this game was the best-case scenario in terms of rebounding after Wyoming. The Tigers took care of business and got out with the win as expected. It may take a while for the excitement of this season to legitimately build back up, but this was a strong start to make that happen.</p>
<p id="SX0i2j">Remember — Kelly Bryant came to Mizzou for a reason and the seniors didn’t transfer despite the bowl ban for a reason. This team, with their talent and character, has all the ingredients for what still can be a pretty damn good season. </p>
<p id="prk0lj">“We’ve got a really good team, and we’re going to continue to push... We understand the formula that’s going to work for this football team,” Odom said. </p>
<p id="TaJxBk">That formula worked on Saturday. For now, the Tigers are back on track. </p>
<p id="StuFWf"></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019-mizzou-football/2019/9/8/20854692/back-on-track-different-missouri-team-shows-up-against-west-virginiaSammy Stava2019-09-08T12:03:46-05:002019-09-08T12:03:46-05:00College Football Recap: Week 2
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana State at Texas" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2_Dd0sP4Zh3mLDnSVYtWeE_TapE=/0x0:3600x2400/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65203803/usa_today_13327486.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>LSU QB Joe Burrow, who threw for a career-high in yards Saturday night, sparked the Tigers’ offense in a wildly entertaining 45-38 win against Texas in Austin. | Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many teams across college football show the most improvement between Weeks 1 and 2. But on a Saturday when a lot of top teams played lesser opponents, exactly which ones took the longest strides? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯</p> <p id="dWlZRM">As the old adage goes, if you improve as a football team during the course of a season, your biggest strides will be made between Weeks 1 and 2. </p>
<p id="ImUBaY">And big strides were, indeed, made. Looking at you, Barry Odom.</p>
<p id="DaGUUI">Teams we thought were dead in the water a week ago sprung back to life. And those we applauded after the opening week underwent bit of a reality check. Others just kept rolling.</p>
<p id="JJApvk">Let’s do a recap of Week 2, shall we?</p>
<p id="EdECZK"></p>
<h1 id="L5Kbsl"><strong>What We Learned</strong></h1>
<h2 id="bPVdXs"><strong>Maryland May Very Well Be Undefeated Heading into November</strong></h2>
<p id="hbX3rY">The Terrapins put up 79 on Howard last week. Yesterday, they hung 63 on No. 21 Syracuse in an unexpected 43-point blowout, setting a school record for most points scored against a ranked opponent. </p>
<p id="83CQF4">Through two weeks, Maryland and head coach Mike Locksley, who last season was the offensive coordinator at Alabama, have perhaps been the young season’s most impressive team— and they’ve done it with a balance that belies scoring 142 points in two games. The Terrapins have rushed for more than 700 yards, including 354 against Syracuse, lessening the burden on junior QB <span>Josh Jackson</span>, a transfer from Virginia Tech, who has thrown for seven touchdowns.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Football: Syracuse at Maryland" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_8A9GX3Wxij77dSo0UZHPQZCpyA=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19178314/usa_today_13322707.jpg">
<cite>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>First-year Maryland head coach Mike Locksley’s team is perfect so far, thanks to an offense that has rolled up 142 points in two games, and bigger things could be ahead for the Terrapins.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="jpE7Lm">If the Terrapins can get by Penn State in a Friday night home game on September 27, watch out. They’ll then play a four-game stretch in which they won’t face a defense that finished last season ranked in the Top 50. Take advantage of that, and there’s a decent chance they could be 8-0 when they host Michigan to start November.</p>
<p id="bKbQU0">Quite the feat for a program picked by the media to finish sixth in the Big Ten’s East Division.</p>
<p id="4nSkXx"></p>
<h1 id="2eSQCS"><strong>What We’d Still Like to Now</strong></h1>
<h2 id="F12M2G"><strong>How Many More Chances Inside the Five Does Texas Need?</strong></h2>
<p id="bGW5I6">Down 3-0 midway through the first quarter, Texas drove 67 yards down to the LSU eight. After a 6-yard run by QB <span>Sam Ehlinger</span>, the ‘Horns had the ball at the two but turned the ball over on downs after RB Keaontay Ingram — with no LSU defender within five yards —dropped a for-sure touchdown pass.</p>
<p id="n8WW4W">Worry not, though. After a <span>Joe Burrow</span> pick — his only mistake in a 471-yard performance — put Ehlinger and the Texas offense right back on the doorstep, redemption seemed inevitable— until it wasn’t. The next four plays – all runs – netted one yard, ending in Ehlinger getting stuffed for a loss of two by a surging LSU defensive unit just shy of the goal line. </p>
<p id="XhbKbE">Eight plays inside the 10. Six inside the five. No points.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="NCAA Football: Louisiana State at Texas" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/piEDhBjJ3w_zqqo4EaJY_JkEv0A=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19178308/usa_today_13325695.jpg">
<cite>Ronald Cortes-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
<figcaption>QB Sam Ehlinger and the Texas offense had a handful of cracks inside the 10 Saturday night, but the LSU defense was having none of it.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="MNS9Wu">To Texas’ credit, they did force a punt on LSU’s next possession and then promptly take a 7-3 lead on Ehlinger’s 55-yard TD strike to <span>Brennan Eagles</span>. But the lead evaporated quickly. </p>
<p id="9O1Kge">After Burrow— who threw for more than 300 yards in a game only twice last season— gave the Tigers momentum heading into the locker room with a 21-yard score to <span>Justin Jefferson</span>, the two teams exchanged haymakers during a final 30 minutes that were as entertaining as you’ll find.</p>
<p id="BJhRPC">Ultimately, though, Texas fell seven points short in the 45-38 loss, and today you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone on the Texas staff who’s not at least secretly lamenting that eight-play sequence near the goal line.</p>
<p id="j0rDQc"></p>
<h1 id="c7lvlM"><strong>What We’d Like to Forget</strong></h1>
<h2 id="1NU6Uw">The Last 72 Hours, At Least As They Pertain to Antonio Brown. </h2>
<p id="5QScFi">I’m going to stray away from college football for a bit, but I think it’s justified. And I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that the Pro Bowl receiver’s antics over the last few days— the coverage of which has only intensified as they’ve grown bolder— are embarrassing.</p>
<p id="RTytoG">Frostbitten feet? Probably an innocent mistake. I don’t even take much issue with him wanting to continue to use his old helmet, but rules are rules. But threatening your general manager? Disrespecting your teammates with a feigned apology? Publicly chiding your employer and then demanding they fire you … from the safety of social media?</p>
<p id="bMShLC">No matter whose side you take, I think we can all agree that the whole charade had grown tiresome. </p>
<p id="SPv1pR">And how did Brown react to the news that he’d been released by the Raiders Saturday morning?</p>
<div id="zSwMcn"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o-gwWVYmW7Y?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="encrypted-media; accelerometer; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="z0OVF4">And naturally, just as all of today’s emblazoned self-righteousness is rewarded, Brown got signed by the league’s best team.</p>
<div id="ngrxTC">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Antonio Brown woke up today in Oakland, in a feud with the Raiders that ended in his release.<br><br>He will end his day as a Patriot, getting ready to watch his new team square off Sunday night vs his former Steelers' team.<br><br>It took the NFL 100 seasons to produce a story like this.</p>— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1170459151199289344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2019</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="sqRMyu">And I personally hope we never see one like it again.</p>
<p id="SddgBy"><strong> </strong></p>
<p id="wUvWBD"></p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/8/20855314/college-football-recap-week-2-lsu-texas-marylandRyan Faller2019-09-08T09:00:00-05:002019-09-08T09:00:00-05:00Mizzou Football shines in unexpected hit, John Nick
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Wq3HvUuelIp_-tWsNxw6zEsBmEw=/0x0:2700x1800/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65203042/john_nick_bolton.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>“People keep asking if Mizzou is back, and they haven’t really had an answer. But now, yeah, I’m thinkin’ they’re back.”</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After a big disappointment, Nick Bolton and the Tigers deliver an all-out mauling full of thrills and Tiger-on-Mountaineer violence.</p> <h1 id="Y53pHx"><em>John Nick</em></h1>
<p id="n0xvyq"><strong>Directed By:</strong> Barry Odom</p>
<p id="ufhCVz"><strong>Starring:</strong> Nick Bolton, Albert Okwuegbunam, Kelly Bryant, Cale Garrett</p>
<p id="gcv5vQ"><strong>Synopsis:</strong> After having their season left for dead, the Tigers of Missouri take out their rage on the next team in their way. That’s it — that’s the plot!</p>
<p id="0pDOWH"><strong>Rating:</strong></p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dapuLJawlA90n6PT8LPDXFs8tnU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19177608/24_1.png">
</figure>
<p id="iyoBQy">It hasn’t been that long, but it certainly feels like years since Mizzou Football had a hit on its hands.</p>
<p id="xkoVro">Sure, fans remember the excitement of 2007 and 2013, but those were of another era. Did they change the trajectory of the program forever? Of course. But college football is a, “What have you don't for me lately?” business, and the days of blockbuster football in Columbia — at least in the eyes of cynics — seemed gone forever.</p>
<p id="1x2Nvo">At least, that was before <em>John Nick</em>. Admittedly, it’s kind of a weird premise: Little known linebacker Nick Bolton — spoken highly of in the shadows, but rarely seen in public — breaks out after the cowboys of Wyoming ruin his team’s offseason party, leading a rampage over the Mountaineers of West Virginia. You may even find it a little unbelievable, especially after Missouri was assaulted in the Rockies. But once the fun gets going, it’s almost impossible to resist.</p>
<p id="JllAoK">The main point of attraction here is simple: it is <em><strong>brutal </strong></em>to the point of thrilling<em>. </em>Bolton leads the charge with a few big hits and plays, but everyone gets in on the beatdown. Cale Garrett lays the boom. Kelly Bryant evades defenders like a shadowy assassin and Albert Okwuegbunam runs through defenders faster than you can say, “Baba Yaga.” When you get to the point of thinking, “Should I be enjoying this? It’s a bit sadistic,” the Tigers do something even cooler and more badass than the minute before. From early on, you know that there’s no beating the Tigers in this one. </p>
<p id="SnwCCx">It’s even more satisfying when you think of where the Tigers are coming from. After the disappointment of last week, it’s almost overwhelming to see a set of performances so well put together. Everything is well choreographed, from the Tucker McCann 40+ yard sniping to the domination of the Tiger defensive line bowling over their Mountaineer foes. The direction (inconsistent at times in Barry Odom’s young career at the helm) is nearly airtight, a welcome relief from the sometimes sloppy efforts in his past. There are a few loose ends that could’ve been cleaned up — a few unforced errors give the antagonists more screen time than necessary — but with a final product so positive, the issues seem minor.</p>
<p id="lykelX">Of course, <em>John Nick</em> won’t win over everyone. The domination is so complete in all phases of the game that cynics will complain about the lack of stakes. They may be right on some level. If we know from the opening scenes how this story will play out, is it worth getting invested? Shouldn’t we wait to make the final judgement until a more formidable foe comes along? There may be something to that, but it misses one of the main points of a football game — to enjoy yourself!</p>
<p id="asjQr6">So, while <em>John Nick</em>’s pleasures may be simple, they are a welcome relief from the disappointments of the Tigers’ fateful trip to the <em>Wild Wild West</em>. And while it’s hard to read too much into it, it’s still a visceral thrill ride that tickles the baser parts of our football-loving brains. Combined with football that is both bruising, dominant and beautiful, there’s no doubt that Barry Odom’s latest feature is a no-doubt hit.</p>
<h1 id="rMOkMV"></h1>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/8/20854903/mizzou-tigers-football-the-revue-john-wick-nick-bolton-kelly-bryantJosh Matejka2019-09-08T04:50:00-05:002019-09-08T04:50:00-05:00Mizzou Football exemplifies the soft middle of College Football
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: West Virginia at Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Wz1nJ4N4R4EbMjYVgFBqc1EkLoA=/0x45:2306x1582/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65202394/usa_today_13323123.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Being a good but imperfect team means you’re in the same boat as about 30-40 teams. </p> <p id="0SXDyC">Most of last week was spent trying to cool the white-hot anger from some corners of the Mizzou fanbase following Missouri’s disappointing loss to Wyoming. This week is not going to be spent boasting about being right about Barry Odom’s 2019 Tigers, but rather trying to find the happy middle ground. </p>
<p id="WQvAQB">First things first, West Virginia isn’t a good football team right now. They were 73rd in SP+ heading into the game against Missouri, and after watching them against Mizzou it wouldn’t surprise me if they ended up the worst team in the Big 12— yes even worse than THAT team to the west. The Mountaineers are in full on rebuild mode (though I love the Neal Brown hire, he’s got some remaking to do on both sides of the ball), and they’ve struggled at the start of the season. </p>
<p id="fFFS4D">With that said, Missouri did what they were supposed to do. They were dominant on both sides of the ball for the first half, and were happy to go into kill-the-clock mode when it became apparent any halftime wrinkles to the West Virginia offense were going to be ineffective against the Tigers defense. </p>
<h2 id="QCCP1k">It was a dominating win, and one which seemed to set things right</h2>
<p id="vKudJP">This is why the Odom tenure has been maddening for some fans. When Missouri is right, they’re VERY right. They’re capable of beating nearly anyone in college football when they play well. They have a tendency to utterly destroy bad teams, occasionally beat pretty good teams badly, but play uneven enough football during the season to drive you nuts. Because <em>IF-ONLY</em> they would be consistent, surely that would lead to 10-2 types of seasons instead of 7-6 or 8-5, right?</p>
<p id="Q2r0CP">Not so fast. </p>
<div id="4Xk5A6"><div style="float:right; margin:10px;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/page.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frockmnation&tabs&width=340&height=214&small_header=false&adapt_container_width=true&hide_cover=false&show_facepile=true&appId" width="340" height="214" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="vdGmxy">It’s less about Missouri and their unevenness than it is about College Football in general. There are few elite coaches and elite programs. Instead, we get a big soft middle where a collection of good coaches, but not elite ones, and good programs, but not elite ones, battle it out and hope to get a few fortunate bounces. Last week Missouri got virtually zero fortune in their loss to Wyoming. Against West Virginia, they didn’t need fortune. </p>
<p id="EIoH2L">A case can be made to say they shouldn’t <em>need</em> fortune against Wyoming, and I think it’s fair to say that. But that’s College Football. Sometimes you need fortune. Yesterday, Michigan and Florida State were both fortunate... others weren’t. I think Missouri is good; I also think Barry Odom is at least a good coach who can maybe develop into a great one. But at this stage of his coaching career, with his talent on the team, Missouri needs fortune. </p>
<p id="I1t0Hu">So it’s good to get back on the right side of the win-loss column. Watching the game was a reminder of what Missouri <em>can</em> be when they play well. And realistically, they didn’t play perfectly. They were sloppy with penalties, and they haven’t really shown a penchant for explosiveness out of the run game despite not playing against a defense considered stout against the run. </p>
<p id="OIC9O4">Where do we go from here? Next week should be a gimme— SEMO is an FCS school and one who shouldn’t come within four or five touchdowns of Missouri. Win next week and you’re concentrating on being 3-1 with a win against South Carolina at home.</p>
<p id="XA9uad">Here are your other SEC scores:</p>
<ul>
<li id="ByOO3n">Clemson 24, Texas A&M 10</li>
<li id="ggbLFz">Alabama 62, New Mexico State 10</li>
<li id="SijVMC">Georgia 63, Murray State 17</li>
<li id="iWHdLL">LSU 45, Texas 38</li>
<li id="VD6tJc">Auburn 24, Tulane 6</li>
<li id="z7GoNo">Florida 45, UT-Martin 0</li>
<li id="QwTdGv">South Carolina 72, Charleston Southern 10</li>
<li id="97jygO">Purdue 42, Vanderbilt 24</li>
<li id="axlRff">Mississippi State 38, Southern Miss 15</li>
<li id="VTltLS">BYU 29, Tennessee 26</li>
<li id="5lQmX2">Kentucky 38, Eastern Michigan 17</li>
<li id="sFHvG7">Ole Miss 31, Arkansas 17</li>
</ul>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="8wNBjj">
<h1 id="QvdtMQ">Yesterday at Rock M</h1>
<ul>
<li id="NiDKf3"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/7/20853527/missouri-vs-west-virginia-football-game-day-info-where-to-watch-predictions">Missouri vs West Virginia football: Game info, where to watch, predictions</a></li>
<li id="tYUCqp"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/7/20852989/missouri-tigers-alcohol-sales-faurot-field-beer-wine">Bottoms Up! What are you drinking during this week’s game?</a></li>
<li id="XYiIQa"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/7/20854441/halftime-thoughts-well-that-was-better">HALFTIME THOUGHTS: Well that was better</a></li>
<li id="d55PsZ"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/7/20854269/game-thread-mizzou-west-virginia-gif-td-kelly-bryant">GAME THREAD: Dominant performance has Mizzou ahead with under 10 to play</a></li>
<li id="KSi8dP"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019/9/7/20854289/dominant-performance-leads-missouri-over-west-virginia">Dominant performance leads Missouri over West Virginia</a></li>
<li id="nxCKrP"><a href="https://www.rockmnation.com/2019-mizzou-football/2019/9/7/20854583/post-game-five-takeaways-mizzou-west-virginia-kelly-bryant">Post-Game: Five takeaways from the WVU win</a></li>
</ul>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="j1ViIs">
<h1 id="S4Li8n">GameDay Links:</h1>
<ul>
<li id="zvl1wA"><a href="https://missouri.rivals.com/news/mizzou-s-best-bounce-back">Gabe DeArmond’s Game story</a></li>
<li id="RR89RJ"><a href="https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/mizzou-defense-keeps-the-faith-smothers-west-virginia-in-home/article_339a9f4d-12c9-5c3c-8ea1-c18900390e92.html">Dave Matter’s Game story</a></li>
<li id="FdMAsm"><a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/college/sec/university-of-missouri/article234842907.html#storylink=mainstage_lead">Alex Schiffer’s Game story</a></li>
<li id="xF1GGI">Columbia Missourian <a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_football/mu-defense-comes-together-in-bounce-back-effort-leads-rout/article_f2a69600-d186-11e9-ab37-3fe1ce5f45b3.html">Bennett Durando’s Game story</a>
</li>
<li id="Ps3snJ">If you’re looking to sign up for ESPN+, Rock M Nation now has an affiliate link: <a href="https://espn.zlbu.net/c/482924/535101/9070?sharedid=RockMNation">click Here for ESPN+ Now!</a>
</li>
</ul>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2019-mizzou-football/2019/9/8/20854687/mizzou-football-college-football-barry-odom-west-virginia-dominant-winSam Snelling