Mizzou Football is fresh off a bye week and returns to action this Saturday, going on the road for the second time in 2018 for an 11 a.m. (CT) kick at SEC East rival South Carolina. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network. Mizzou will be looking to improve to 4-1 on the 2018 season, which would mark the program's best five-game start since 2015.
ALL-TIME SERIES WITH THE GAMECOCKS
The all-time series between Mizzou and South Carolina is knotted at four wins apiece, but South Carolina has won the last two meetings, including a 31-13 decision in Columbia West last season. The Gamecocks own a 2-1 lead in the all-time series in games played in Columbia East. Mizzou's only win ever at South Carolina came in 2014 when the Tigers claimed the second of back-to-back SEC East Championships. Mizzou escaped Williams-Brice Stadium with a 21-20 win, rallying from down 20-7 with 7:25 remaining in the game. RB Russell Hansbrough scored a one-yard TD with 6:49 remaining and added another from one yard out with 1:36 on the clock and Andrew Baggett banged home the game-winning PAT. The win was Mizzou's second road win over a top-15 team in as many seasons. Mizzou and South Carolina plays for the Mayor's Cup every year.
Two of Mizzou's all-time meetings with the Gamecocks have come in bowl games, with Mizzou winning both contests. The first was the 1979 Hall of Fame Bowl, which Mizzou won 21-14. The next was the 2005 Independence Bowl, which is arguably one of the greatest Mizzou bowls ever played. In that game, Mizzou trailed 21-0 and looked to be in even more trouble until CB Marcus King picked off a Blake Mitchell pass on the one-yard line and returned it 99 yards for a score. That flung momentum in Mizzou's favor as the team rallied for a 38-31 win, the largest comeback win in school history, in what was legendary Mizzou QB Brad Smith's final game. Smith ran for 151 yards and three scores among 21 carries and completed 21-of-37 passes for 282 yards and a score.
RECAPPING LAST TIME OUT
Mizzou dropped a hard-fought, 43-29 decision to No. 2 Georgia prior to the bye week. Mizzou gave up a scoop-and-score and had a blocked punt returned for a TD as Georgia scored 17 points off Mizzou miscues to escape Memorial Stadium with a 14-point win. Mizzou rushed for 172 yards and all four Tiger scores came on the ground. The 172 rushing yards were the most by a Georgia opponent this season and most by an SEC East team vs. the Bulldogs since Oct. 28, 2017, when Florida hung 183. Mizzou's 29 points against Georgia were the most by an SEC East team since Oct. 10, 2015, when Tennessee scored 38. Since that 2015 game, Mizzou has the two highest-scoring games against the Bulldogs among SEC East teams (28 points last year, 29 this year).
Mizzou became the first team to score four rushing TDs against Georgia since Nov. 26, 2016, when Georgia Tech scored four.
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. KENTUCKY RECAP
South Carolina is coming off a 24-10 loss at No. 17 Kentucky last Saturday night. UK scored three TDs on the ground and picked off SC QB Jake Bentley three times in the game.
FOUR STRAIGHT ROAD WINS
When Mizzou steps into Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday, it will do so with an impressive streak in tow. Dating back to last season's win at UConn on Oct. 28, Mizzou has won it last four true road games. In that span, Mizzou is averaging 46.3 points per game and its average margin of victory is 18.5 points. Mizzou has won its only true road game of 2018, escaping Purdue with a 40-37 win. Mizzou has not won at South Carolina since 2014.
LOCKED IN OVER LAST 11
Mizzou is riding high as of late, winning nine of its last 11 games. In those 11 games, there has been one common theme: the elite-level play of senior QB Drew Lock. In that span, Lock's numbers have looked as impressive as any other quarterback in college football. Below is a snapshot:
• Record: 9-2
• 236-for-380 (62.1%)
• 3,524 yards (320.4 per game)
• 38 touchdowns
• 8 interceptions
• 168.79 QB rating
GROUND GAME GETTING GOING
As Mizzou has went 9-2 over its last 11 games dating back to last season, one could point to the play of senior QB Drew Lock as the key reason why (even we broke it down for you above), but another part of the team's great play as of late has been the production in the ground game. Since registering just 59 rushing yards at Georgia on Oct. 14, 2017, Mizzou has rushed for at least 121 yards in every game over the last 11 and has rushed for 160+ in 10 of the 11 contests. During those 11 games, Mizzou is averaging 213.6 yards per game on the ground (2,350 total yards) and is averaging 5.01 yards per carry on 469 attempts. Mizzou has 20 rushing TDs over the last 11 games.
Last time out vs. Georgia, Mizzou scored four rushing touchdowns, its most since Nov. 19, 2016, at Tennessee. Those four rushing TDs were scored by four different players - freshman RB Tyler Badie, junior RB Damarea Crockett, senior QB Drew Lock and sophomore RB Larry Rountree III. It was the first time that Mizzou had four different players score rushing TDs since the 2013 season opener when Henry Josey, Russell Hansbrough, Morgan Steward and Marcus Murphy all scored on the ground in a 38-13 win over Murray State. It was the first time Mizzou has accomplished that feat against an FBS team since Nov. 27, 2010, when Kendial Lawrence, De'Vion Moore, Blaine Gabbert and T.J. Moe did so in a 35-7 win over Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium.
LOCK LIVES AMONG SEC'S GREATNESS
Mizzou senior QB Drew Lock's three TD tosses at Purdue moved him into sole possession of sixth place all-time among SEC quarterbacks with 82 career passing TDs. He enters Saturday's game at South Carolina just six shy of tying Florida's Tim Tebow (2006-09) and Chris Leak (2003-06) who both had 88 in their careers. Below is a list:
Additionally, Lock now has 9,978 career passing yards, meaning he needs just 22 yards to reach the 10,000 career passing yard mark. Should he accomplish that feat, he would be just the 112th quarterback in college football history to do so. Only eight SEC quarterbacks have ever thrown for more than 10,000 yards in a career and the last to do so was Georgia's Aaron Murray in 2013. Below is a list:
Among active FBS quarterbacks, Lock is third with his 9,978 career passing yards. Only Boise State's Brett Rypien (11,265) and Washington's Jake Browning (10,347) rank ahead of Lock.
Lock would become just the second Mizzou QB to toss for more than 10,000 yards, trailing only 2007 Heisman finalist Chase Daniel, who holds the school record of 12,515 from 2005-09. That, by the way, ranks 26th in FBS history.
Lock now has 27 career games with 200+ passing yards, second in school history.
Lock has thrown for 200+ yards in 22 of his last 23 games, including 14 straight.
With 375 yards at Purdue, Lock now has 12 career 300-yard games, second in school history behind only Daniel (20).
Lock registered his 10th career game with four or more TDs vs. Wyoming - he has eight such games in his last 12.
Lock now has 41 career TD passes of 20+ yards, the most in school history.
ALL-PURPOSE BADIE
Mizzou true freshman RB Tyler Badie has been turning heads with his play over Mizzou's last two games. The Memphis, Tenn., native is now averaging 84.5 all-purpose yards per game this season after posting a career-high 142 vs. Georgia last time out.
Badie is 10th nationally among all true freshman (sixth in Power 5) in all-purpose yards per game. His 84.5 average is also second-best among SEC freshmen. Below is a breakdown:
Over his last two games, the freshman tailback is averaging 120.5 all-purpose yards. He scored his first collegiate touchdown against Georgia last time out as part of his career-best 142 all-purpose yards.
Mizzou's coaches have showed great trust in him late in games as well, specifically at Purdue. He came into the game for the final drive as Mizzou used the final 3:37 to go 68 yards over 10 plays for the game-winning FG as time expired. Badie accounted for 46 of those 68 yards.
On the year, Badie has 86 of his 189 rushing yards in the fourth quarter. When games are close (within seven points), Badie has 63 of his 189 rushing yards. Of his 49 receiving yards, 45 have come in one-score situations and 20 of his 49 receiving yards have come in the fourth quarter.
MIZZOU LIMITING PENALTIES
Over four games, an apparent trend is developing for Barry Odom's team and that trend revolves around discipline. Through four games, Mizzou is committing an average of just 5.25 penalties per game - that's the SEC's second-best mark and ranks 33rd nationally. Mizzou's total penalty yards (181) are the league's fewest as are Mizzou's 21 total penalties.
OFFENSIVE LINE GETTING IT DONE AGAIN
Coming into the season, a perceived area of strength for Mizzou was its massive, physical offensive line that returned all five starters from its record breaking group. Over the last two years, the group turned in the best marks in college football history when it came to preventing negative plays. So far this year, not much has changed. Mizzou leads the SEC (sixth nationally) in sacks allowed, averaging just 0.75 per game. Mizzou has also surrendered just 16 negative plays through four games, the SEC's second-best mark (10th nationally). Mizzou allowed just two negative plays vs. No. 2 Georgia last time out.
OFFENSE SUSTAINING DRIVES
On the year, Mizzou has amassed 116 total first downs, registering at least 26 in all four contents this season. Mizzou ranks fourth in the SEC and 30th nationally with its 116 first downs through four games. With at least 26 first downs in all four games, it is important to note that Mizzou accomplished that feat just six times a year ago as this year's offense appears to be a stark contrast from last year's run-and-gun style. This year Tigers are taking a much more methodical approach to offense.
That methodical approach under first-year OC Derek Dooley is also evident in time of possession. Mizzou is holding the ball for an average of 31:54 this season, the SEC's fourth-best mark (32nd nationally). Last year, Mizzou held the ball for an average of 25:01 per game, second-lowest in FBS as Mizzou has engineered one of the nation's most impressive turn-arounds in that category.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BALL
In the first quarter of Mizzou's last game vs. Georgia, Mizzou junior CB Christian Holmes picked off a third-down Jake Fromm pass on Georgia's opening possession for his first career interception. That play continued an impressive streak for the Mizzou defense as the Tigers have now forced a turnover in 12 consecutive regular season games, dating back to Oct. 10, 2017, at Kentucky.
In those 12 games, Mizzou is 9-3 overall, as turnovers have been a key to the Tigers' improved play on defense.
