Mizzou comes to town to give the Devil his due. Didn’t they know that their price for basking in the blaze of glory last year was a ferocious beatdown in the Land of Crimson and Cream the following year? Ask Texas Tech in 2008 and 2010. Ask Oklahoma State and Texas A&M in 2003. Right?
It seems that all signs point to that. Missouri has a new quarterback. Six of the top nine leading tacklers for the Tigers from a year ago are gone. Missouri does not have an impressive win yet this year, and as if the top-ranked Sooners didn’t need motivation for this game, Missouri wide receiver Jerrell Jackson gives us smack that Chase Daniel would be proud of. Kid, what are you thinking?
Best Case
For all the reasons stated above this could be brutal for the Tigers. The secondary has taken the biggest hit as both starting cornerbacks and free safeties are gone. Arizona State lit them up for 388 yards and receiver Aaron Pflugrad had 180 yards receiving. How do you think Jones, Broyles, and Stills fare? The OU defense is downright playing nasty and are starting to build some serious lockdown swagger. They will bring the wood Saturday and linebacker Travis Lewis and the Sharks are repping some big time attitude.
Outcome: The Sooners strike hard and fast. Landry Jones has over 400 yards passing. Tigers quarterback James Franklin is harassed all day and is unable to get many passes to his experienced receivers. The Missouri running game is not good enough to offset the OU defensive surge. The game is over by halftime. Sooners roll 45-17.
Worst Case
Despite Missouri’s secondary getting decimated by graduation, all other positions are solid for the Tigers. The defensive line has seven of their top eight players back and linebacker Zaviar Gooden was the leading tackler last year. The offensive line returns nine of the top 10 back and the top three rushers from last year return. Despite missing a game-winning field goal against Arizona State, kicker Grant Ressel is solid and made 26 of 27 field goals last year.
Outcome: The offensive line that did so well protecting Blaine Gabbert last year in Columbia starts strong and allows the offense to churn out some double-digit play drives. This keeps the OU offense from getting a quick start and running away with the ballgame. However, the Tiger defense can’t contain the Sooner passing attack for the entire game and Franklin is just too inexperienced to deal with the pressure that the Sooner defense brings all game long. Missouri finally succumbs to OU and the Sooners win 34-21.