How will Mizzou's defense be prepared for Diego Pavia come Saturday?

With Mizzou off to a hot start and Vanderbilt looking more talented than ever, we're in for a fun matchup this weekend. Despite Vanderbilt suffering a tough loss to Georgia State last week, Coach Drinkwitz remarked, "this is the most talented Vanderbilt team Clark Lea has had in his tenure."

The Commodores are led by senior quarterback Diego Pavia, who has looked sharp in his first couple of contests. He helped Vanderbilt defeat Virginia Tech in Week 1, despite being double-digit underdogs. Pavia’s strength lies in his mobility, as he is constantly a threat to run with the football.

The good news for Mizzou is that they just faced a quarterback with a similar build and skill set as Pavia. Last week, the Tigers got a blueprint for how to defend a mobile quarterback when they faced Thomas Castellanos and Boston College. It’s safe to say Mizzou passed that test, holding Castellanos to just 25 yards rushing and forcing two interceptions in the victory.

Pavia has often been forced to make individual plays this season, as his team hasn’t fully stepped up to the plate. However, in the last game against Georgia State, a favorite target seemed to emerge. Senior tight end Eli Stowers had a standout performance, hauling in 9 receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown. Mizzou will need to neutralize Stowers on Saturday if they want to slow down the Commodores' passing attack.

"I think their offense is new, innovative, and tough to defend. They utilize their quarterback, Diego [Pavia], in a lot of different ways, and he gives them a chance to be explosive on every play," said Drinkwitz. "I think the tight end, Eli Stowers, is obviously a critical component to their offensive success, and somebody we have to be aware of."

Mizzou's defense will be called on once again if they want to stay undefeated after its SEC opener this weekend. The Tigers will aim to energize the crowd early by controlling the line of scrimmage and dominating from the start. The game is set to kick off at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, live from Faurot Field.