On Saturday night, Oklahoma (5-4, 1-4) will travel to Columbia to take on No. 24 Missouri (6-2, 2-2), but it will be an uphill battle for Mizzou without its starting quarterback.
On Friday evening, it was officially announced that Mizzou would be without senior quarterback Brady Cook, who had been listed as questionable all week with a hand injury.
#Mizzou FB coach Eli Drinkwitz says IF Brady Cook can't start this weekend, they will still go with Drew Pyne at quarterback. However, the decision on the starter has not been made yet (relating to Cook's injuries)
— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) November 5, 2024
"We've all had tough days...but we have confidence in Drew." pic.twitter.com/v1CdddBRJG
This leaves graduate student Drew Pyne in line to start against Oklahoma. Pyne is coming off a game in which he went 6-of-12 with three interceptions at Alabama.
If Mizzou wants to beat the Sooners, it will need to simplify the playbook for Pyne, as he struggled to get the ball downfield last game. It's important for the Tigers to establish their pace of play and avoid playing from behind.
The good news for Mizzou is that starting running back Nate Noel will likely be in the lineup Saturday night. Noel has been dealing with injuries for weeks, and his return is a huge boost for the offense.
Noel's return should help bolster the offense and make it easier for offensive coordinator Kirby Moore to simplify the game plan for his backup quarterback.
Oklahoma is coming off a 59-14 rout of Maine last week. The Sooners are expected to return multiple starting receivers this week, giving quarterback Jackson Arnold nearly a full array of weapons to work with.
Between designed runs and protecting the ball, expect a lot of quick plays to help move the ball against Oklahoma.