Missouri Tigers hope to turn season around on Homecoming

In celebration of Missouri’s homecoming, the Tigers hope they can turn their season around and try to salvage bowl eligibility. Luckily, this week’s opponent will be a good start.

After another ugly loss to Georgia last week, the Tigers are 1-5 and have to win five of their next six games, if they want to be bowl eligible. Good thing for the Tigers that the second half of their season will be easier facing teams like Vanderbilt, Tennessee and this week, Idaho.

Idaho comes in 2-4 and with one of the worst offenses in the country. Despite having a solid quarterback in Matt Linehan, the offense has failed to get anything done and has yet to score 30 points in a game this year.

That should lead to a great face off between Missouri’s defense, which has yet to allow less than 30 points in a game, so something has got to give. Missouri’s defense continues to look helpless out there, especially in the secondary.

Missouri Tigers Football

They continue to get burned on deep and slant routes and fail to get turnovers. Most of the interceptions by this year have been by the linebackers, instead of the corners and safeties. Now is the time for the secondary to start making plays, or the Tigers will have no shot in getting to a bowl this year.

Mizzou’s offense should do fine, but Idaho’s defense is better than you think. The Vandals have play makers on the defensive line in Leonard Hazewood, with 5.5 sacks, and Aikeem Coleman, with 3 sacks, respectably. Idaho’s defense won’t be as easy of a ride as Missouri State’s and should give quarterback Drew Lock some pressure in the backfield.

Alternately, Idaho’s secondary is on the weaker side, and the Tigers’ receivers have been playing exponentially better over the past two games.

Speaking of exponentially better, how about the Tigers’ choice to don the Block M on their helmets for homecoming? Mizzou will pair that with a combination of black jerseys and gold pants.

Wide receiver Emmanuel Hall had a phenomenal game against Georgia with 4 receptions for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hall has emerged, this season, as the Tigers’ deadliest deep threat and should have a big day against Idaho’s secondary.

Despite Missouri only being a 14-point favorite against Idaho, we really shouldn’t expect a close game. The Tigers are clearly the better team, on paper, and have been playing better these past two weeks compared to earlier in the season.

I expect a solid win for Missouri, and hopefully that will be what they need to re-energize their season. You can catch the game at 11 AM CT on SEC Network.