Missouri Tigers Game Preview: Indiana Hoosiers
By cmroczka
Coming off their most complete win of the young season, the Missouri Tigers (3-0, SEC 0-0) are looking to sweep the non-conference portion of their schedule when the Indiana Hoosiers come to Columbia this Saturday.
Last season, the Tigers went into Memorial Stadium in Bloomington and hung 45-points on the Hoosiers en route to a 17-point victory. The Big Ten has struggled so far this season going 1-10 against other Power 5 conference opponents and Indiana doesn’t appear to be the team that can change that trend.
Here’s some information, analysis, and a prediction for this week’s match up.
Record: 1-1 (0-0 B1G)
Game Time: 3:00 PM CST
Venue: Faurot Field, Columbia, Mo.
Television: SEC Network
Vegas Predictions: Missouri, 14-point favorites
Tiger QB Maty Mauk should be all smiles if the game plays to expectations and he leads Mizzou to a 4-0 record Saturday vs. Indiana. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Opponent: The Indiana Hoosiers currently boast the 4th best rushing attack in the nation averaging 345 yards in their first two games. Of course those numbers are inflated coming against lesser opponents, Indiana State (W 28-10 ) and Bowling Green (L 42-45), but junior running back Tevin Coleman is the real deal. Coleman has rushed for 437 yards on just 47 carries, five of which went for touchdowns.
The Hoosiers will also return junior quarterback Nate Sudfeld, who coincidentally played the worst game of his career against Missouri in 2013. Sudfeld threw three interceptions and was constantly under fire by Missouri’s defensive line, which could force similar results this time around.
Defensively, the Hoosiers have struggled to get off the field. Last week against Bowling Green, the Hoosiers gave up 39 first downs and 571 offensive yards, including 395 yards through the air. Defense has been the Hoosiers’ problem for years and something the Tigers will look to continue to exploit.
The Game:
There figures to be a lot of points when these two teams take the field on Saturday, but the majority of them may come from the home side. With the way Indiana’s defense has played, Maty Mauk and the potent Tigers’ offense shouldn’t skip a beat, especially with running backs Russell Hansbrough and Marcus Murphy expected to play after getting banged up last week against UCF.
On the defensive side of the ball, Missouri will also hold the edge. The Tigers’ success starts up front with the talented and deep defensive line. Last week against the UCF, the Tigers rotated nine different linemen and saw little drop off when it came to putting constant pressure on the quarterback for four quarters.
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Tigers Will Win If:
They don’t underestimate their Big Ten opponent. Yes, the Tigers are the more talented team, but head coach Gary Pinkel will be the first to tell you that no non-conference win comes easy, especially against a Power 5 opponent. If the Tigers continue to do what they’ve done the first three games, they should have no problems with the Hoosiers.
Pinkel also expects Mauk to continue to improve and this will be another good opportunity for him and offensive coordinator Josh Henson to showcase their talents against a lackluster defensive unit. The Tigers’ defense usually bends, but rarely breaks. If they’re able to contain Coleman and the rushing attack, it could be a long day for the Hoosiers.
Hoosiers Will Win If:
Their defense can get off the field. Mauk and the Tigers have struggled to get into rhythm early in games, which bodes well for the Hoosiers if they can put a few quick scores up on the Tigers. That doesn’t happen without an inspired effort from the defense. They need to keep containment on Mauk when he scrambles and force some errant throws to stand a chance.
On the other hand, the Hoosiers mustn’t waste possessions. They need to make every drive count, that doesn’t mean they need to score on every possession, but long drives avoiding three-and-outs are the best way to break down a defense.
Match Up To Watch: Maty Mauk Vs. IU’s Secondary
Maty Mauk is tied for the lead in the nation with 12 passing touchdowns, despite only attempting 77 passes thus far. To put that into perspective the two other quarterbacks Mauk is tied with have attempted 175 and 170 passes, respectively. Simply, Mauk is slicing defenses to shreds with big plays and hasn’t committed many turnovers in the process.
Indiana currently ranks 92nd in the nation in passing defense, allowing 267.5 yards per game. Keep in mind their opponents thus far and Mauk should be poised for another huge day in the statistics column.
Prediction:
Missouri 49 – Indiana 21
I like Missouri to improve to 4-0 on the season with another convincing win coming at the expense of the Hoosiers. Coming off their best defensive game of the season, I expect the defense to force a couple of turnovers and ultimately keep Coleman at bay. The Tigers’ offense should have little trouble spreading the ball around, while the offensive line should open up a bunch of holes for their speedy running backs.