3 keys to a Mizzou victory over Auburn on Saturday

Saturday will be a telling day in Columbia, with many questions ready to be answered. Mizzou football enters its homecoming matchup with Auburn holding a 5-1 record, but it’s hard to say if those wins are due to an easy schedule.

Two weeks ago, in Mizzou's only real test so far, the Tigers were steamrolled 41-10 at Texas A&M. It was an embarrassing performance that led to Mizzou dropping 12 spots in the Associated Press (AP) Poll. After a tune-up game at UMass, this'll be the first real test since that beat down.

Auburn holds a 2-4 record, but that doesn’t tell the full story, as all the losses have come in close games. The Auburn Tigers have struggled with turnovers, which has been the deciding factor in several of their games thus far.

With Mizzou in dire need of a strong performance and a conference victory, here are three keys to a win on Saturday.

1. Stopping the run

For Mizzou to win on Saturday, it will need to neutralize Jarquez Hunter and Auburn’s rushing attack. Hunter, in his senior season, has already amassed 500 rushing yards, finding the end zone three times. Stopping the run was a major issue in Mizzou’s loss to Texas A&M, where the Aggies rushed for 236 yards and four touchdowns. Mizzou's defensive front has been dealing with injuries, with Triston Newson missing last week's game against UMass, and season-ending injuries to Joe Moore and Khalil Jacobs. It will be interesting to see what defensive schemes Mizzou deploys, but one thing is certain: they must stop the run.

2. Forcing turnovers

Auburn's weakness this season has been turnovers, which is the primary reason for its 2-4 record. They’ve thrown away multiple games due to costly mistakes. Quarterback Payton Thorne has big-play potential, but what comes with that is his carelessness with the football. Auburn currently holds an abysmal -11 turnover ratio, with the quarterbacks throwing nine interceptions in six games. Mizzou has five interceptions this season, albeit against lesser opponents, so the turnover battle will be a crucial factor to watch on Saturday.

3. Getting the ball to skill-position players

Mizzou has as much talent at the skill positions as any team in the country, but the problem has been getting them the ball. Whether it’s poor decisions or missed throws, Brady Cook simply hasn’t been good enough. Auburn will provide a real test to see where Cook stands in terms of both his ability and confidence. With playmakers like Luther Burden, Theo Wease, Nate Noel, and Brett Norfleet itching to get involved, offensive coordinator Kirby Moore will need to get creative. Mizzou has lacked explosive plays all season, but if the offense can generate them early, it will create opportunities against Auburn's defense for the remainder of the game.