Missouri faces a difficult test in a ranked matchup with South Carolina
The No. 23 Missouri Tigers are 7-2 after taking down rival Oklahoma this past weekend at home.
Another week, another rivalry – Missouri travels to Columbia, S.C., to battle it out with the 6-3, No. 21 Gamecocks for the Mayor’s Cup at 3:15 p.m. CST on Nov. 16.
Missouri has dominated the annual affair over the last several years and is currently on a four-game winning streak in the rivalry. Under head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, the Tigers are undefeated against the Gamecocks.
Drinkwitz has become the Gamecocks’ white whale in recent years. Dating back to his time at Appalachian State, he is 5-0 as a head coach against South Carolina.
That win streak may be in jeopardy, with South Carolina potentially fielding its best unit in years. The Gamecocks are clicking at just the right time for rivalry season.
South Carolina has rattled off three consecutive wins over Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt. Each of these squads gave the Tigers significant trouble earlier in the season.
South Carolina has been strong against tough competition and possesses the nation’s fourth-toughest strength of schedule. Missouri, on the other hand, has struggled while facing weaker opponents, ranking No. 48 in SOS.
Improved quarterback play is a catalyst for the Gamecocks’ recent hot streak. LaNorris Sellers is the first-year signal caller for South Carolina, and while he is still a freshman, he already has the tools to be one of the top quarterbacks in college football.
Sellers has an imposing stature of 6 feet, 3 inches and 242 pounds and impeccable arm strength for a 19-year-old. However, his dual-threat capabilities are what give defenses nightmares. Sellers resembles a freight train barreling downhill when he escapes the pocket, threatening to run over any defender in his way.
The run game is undoubtedly the Gamecocks’ strong suit, ranking fifth in the SEC in yards per game with 180.7. Running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders has become the centerpiece of the Gamecocks’ offense.
Like Sellers, Sanders possesses the unique combination of a towering build at 6 feet and 230 pounds, with stunning speed to pair with it. Sanders is currently fourth in the conference with 696 rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns with 10.
Missouri’s defense will have its hands full trying to wrangle the South Carolina ball carriers, as they cannot afford to give up any big plays through the air. Missouri has had an issue with blown coverage throughout the year.
The Gamecocks will be sure to exploit that with its talented receiving corp, including red zone threat tight end Joshua Simon, who is 6 feet, 4 inches and 259 pounds, as well as NCAA track and field All-American wide receiver Nyck Harbor, who is 6 feet, 5 inches and 235 pounds.
As dynamic as the Gamecocks’ offense has looked lately, the defense is the real gem of the team.
Headlined by edge rusher Kyle Kennard, the Gamecocks boast the 12th-best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 17.6 points per game. Kennard leads the Gamecocks with 14 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles, each ranking in the top 10 nationally.
South Carolina’s fierce front seven has a knack for getting to the quarterback, totaling 33 sacks so far for the third-best total in the country. This includes freshman phenom edge rusher Dylan Stewart, who has nine tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, which are all second-best on the team.
The defensive playmakers don’t stop on the line; the secondary excels in forcing takeaways. Defensive back Nick Emmanwori leads the team with 60 tackles and four interceptions, two of which he has returned for touchdowns.
Defensive backs Jalon Kilgore and O’Donnell Fortune each have three interceptions for the Gamecocks.
The SEC injury report has not yet indicated whether or not Missouri quarterback Brady Cook will play in Saturday’s contest, but he remains listed as doubtful as of Wednesday night. Cook has been dealing with injuries since the Tigers played Auburn on Oct. 19 and he suffered an ankle injury. He battled through the ankle issues but fell victim to a wrist injury on his throwing hand the following week versus Alabama.
In Cook’s absence, senior Drew Pyne has been taking the snaps. While Pyne has struggled more often than not, he looked strong for the Tigers in the second half of his start against Oklahoma. He tossed three second-half scores to rally the Tigers to victory.
Missouri seems to have unbreakable plot armor while playing at home, etching out narrow wins, but the road tests have been a different story. The Tigers have lost their two ranked road matchups against Texas A&M and Alabama by a combined score of 75-10.
Drinkwitz will need an outstanding game plan to come out of this road trip unscathed.
After the win over Oklahoma, Drinkwitz mentioned Missouri’s sliver of hope in making the College Football Playoffs. With three conference games remaining, every game is important. The South Carolina matchup will be the Tigers’ best opportunity to earn a statement win before the season closes.
Missouri faces an uphill battle in this ranked showdown, but these are games that playoff teams win. If Drinkwitz and company want a spot in the playoffs, they have to earn it.
Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com
Copyedited by Avery Copeland and Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com