Pinkel said it would be athletics director Mack Rhoades’ decision on whether MU would play in a bowl at 5-7. We’ll definitely have a few words before the game and wish him the best of luck moving forward, ‘ Bielema said. Teams often unravel during the month-long wait between the end of the regular season and the bowl game, especially ones that don’t have a goal.
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The 2015 college football season continues Friday Nov. 27, as the Missouri Tigers travel to meet the Arkansas Razorbacks in an SEC battle at Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Left to their own devices, Missouri would not be in prime position to get a bowl invitation. 500 with a win while Arkansas (6-5) eyes a win themselves. As the Tigers are still trying to become bowl eligible. Someone with a 5-7 record is going to crash the bowls relatively soon, and it might just be this season. A seventh win Friday would make it possible for the team to win eight in the postseason. Missouri lost to Arkansas in the 2003 Independence Bowl, 27-14, but beat the Razorbacks, 38-7, in the 2008 Cotton Bowl.
Even with the defensive deficiencies, the Razorbacks managed – thanks to Bulldogs’ turnovers – to have a shot to win the game in its final seconds.
A really interesting match up of strengths vs strength (Arkansas’ O Mizzou’s D) and weakness vs weakness.
Missouri was coming off consecutive SEC East Division titles but has dealt with plenty of turmoil this season. The Tigers boast one of the nation’s top defenses, ranking seventh nationally in scoring defense (15.1 points per game) and 10th in total defense (301.3 yards per game), and they have been especially tough against the pass. They’ll be tested by an explosive and balanced Arkansas offense, which has topped 440 total yards in five straight games and has gone over 400 passing yards in two of the past three contests. The advanced stats pretty much back that up.
Can Arkansas’ offensive tear continue?
3Study in contrasts (Part II).
Missouri quarterback Drew Lock throwing against Arkansas’ pass defense offers an unusual twist on the something’s gotta give angle. Yes, Arkansas’ defense now ranks worse than even SC on a per-play average – by close to half a yard. 21 Mississippi State, marking the team’s third loss of seven points or less on the year. The Razorbacks’ four 50-point games are the most in any season in program history. But there is a pretty sweet trophy that’s been made for the game.
“Whether it’s his last game or not – I know it’s his last game at Mizzou for a while until he gets everything he needs to get under control”. But when you look just at which team is more likely to get touchdowns, things look a little different. The early losses seemed to be fueling the fire of a comeback because the Hogs proceeded to pull off two monster upsets in a row against two previous playoff contenders. Missouri has yet to score more than 20 points in the past six weeks, with Lock throwing only one touchdown in that span. Then again, Missouri ranks fourth in the SEC in touchdowns allowed on red-zone attempts, while Arkansas checks in at No. 13, so something might give one way or another in this one. Over the last five games, Missouri’s opponents have only averaged 190.0 yards through the air. And those three games include his effort against LSU, which featured just 16 passing attempts. The offense has been a nightmare, and the defense hasn’t been able to pick up the slack.
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“A lot of really good seniors that we’re giving tribute to have been through an unusual odyssey coming here at Arkansas several years ago … and the transition that’s happened here”, Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said. The second-best player on the list has 105. Linebacker Kentrell Brothers leads the SEC with 140 tackles. Though it’s been a down year, there’s one still within reach.
