Ranking the opponents: Missouri

Today, we’re down to No. 5 on the list of Georgia's toughest games, and it’s a team that boasts one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the SEC.

Missouri – Sept. 22

Conference: SEC
2017 Record: 7-6, 4-4 in SEC East
Head coach – Barry Odom (11-14, third year)
Returning Starters – Offense 9, Defense 6
Note To Know: Missouri’s new offensive coordinator is none other than former Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley, son of Vince Dooley.

The first half of Missouri’s season was simply a disaster. The Tigers beat Missouri State in the season opener but then proceeded to lose their next five games, including an 0-4 star in SEC play.

Instead of tanking the rest of the season, Missouri rebounded, winning its final five regular season contests, including routs of 45-16 over Florida and 50-17 over Tennessee.

The Tigers dropped a 33-16 decision to Texas in the Liberty Bowl, but with 17 starters returning, Missouri is feeling pretty good about itself coming into 2018.

Offensively, the Tigers will scare anyone they play.

Quarterback Drew Lock set the Missouri and SEC single-season record with 44 touchdown passes last year. He already has 8,426 career passing yards and 70 touchdowns. With eight other offensive starters around him, Missouri, at least offensively, is going to be a challenge.

Defensely, well, that’s the big question and why Ryan Walters was promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator.

There is talent.

Missouri returns defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr., who recorded seven sacks as a junior. It also brings back all three of its starting linebackers from a season ago.

If the Tigers can get this unit into shape, Missouri could surprise some folks this fall.

Georgia will be favored, but the Bulldog defense had better be ready.

Lock will get his yards. The key for Georgia will be to limit the big plays, get a turnover or two, and force Mizzou to play from behind.

The game is on the road. The Bulldogs have yet to lose in three previous trips to Columbia.

Georgia still has the overall edge in talent, especially on the defensive side, but the Tigers do seem to be getting better, and this won’t be a game in which the Bulldogs can simply throw their hat on the field and expect to win.

Both sides of the ball will need to be at their best.

UGASports: What’s the major storyline for Mizzou, and what will the Tigers need to do in order to take a step up from where the team finished last fall?

DeArmond: “The major storyline is: Can they take a step forward? Last year was better than the two before, but it ended with a thud, and they were still just 7-6. They have one of the best quarterbacks in the country coming back, a potential first round pick at defensive tackle, and this is the year Missouri fans need to see a jump to offer some confidence that Barry Odom is the right guy going forward.

"I've said I think they need to win eight games to show that. They don't have an easy schedule, but they have some games they can win. Lock's legacy and Odom's job are on the line this fall. There are plenty of question marks about whether Mizzou can make it. Is Derek Dooley going to be any good as an OC? Can the defense, which went from terrible to below average last year, at least progress to average? We'll see, but there is no doubt it's a critical year for the program.”

UGASports: Will Drew Lock throw for 500 yards against the Georgia secondary? DeArmond: “Nah. I mean, I'm not gonna pretend to know a lot about the UGA secondary, maybe they're not very good, but I expect to see a different approach offensively. Missouri hired Dooley specifically because Lock wanted a guy who would let him to do more things the pros want to see him do. Josh Heupel's offense put up video game numbers, and Lock led the country in touchdown passes, but a lot of it was hollow. He went nuts against Missouri State and UConn, and the worst teams on Missouri's schedule. And don't get me wrong, he was decent against the better teams last year, just not good enough to win games on his own.

"But the biggest issue I had with Heupel's offense was the tempo. Going super-fast is fine when it's working. But when it's not, you're going three and out in 32 seconds and putting a below average defense right back on the field. And Mizzou did that way too much. In hindsight, last year looks a whole lot like a job interview for Heupel where he was leaving Lock in, throwing bombs in games that were long decided, to pad the offensive numbers and impress an AD into hiring him. It worked for Heupel. But I don't expect Lock to put up the same gaudy numbers as he did last year, even if he ends up actually being a better quarterback.”

UGASports: What’s your in-a-nutshell prediction for the Tigers this year? Can Mizzou find enough defense not to put it all on the shoulders of the offense?

DeArmond: “The games against Bama and UGA are likely almost certainly to be losses. They ought to beat Tennessee-Martin and Wyoming. Then you've got games against Memphis, Vandy, and Kentucky. Those aren't automatics by any means, but they're games Missouri needs to win if they're going to get where they need to go this year. That leaves five "swing games." The season will be decided by the five games against Purdue, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Mizzou has to win three of them to get to eight wins. That's my prediction as of today: 8-4. A game worse won't surprise me. A game better would surprise me but not shock me. I think they have the talent to be the second best team in the East, but will probably finish third behind Georgia and South Carolina. And that's good enough. That's progress, and that has fans feeling good going forward. But worse than that, and the future's gonna look really uncertain going into the offseason.”

Sept. 1 – UT-Martin

Sept. 8 – Wyoming

Sept. 15 – at Purdue

Sept. 22 – Georgia

Oct. 6 – at South Carolina

Oct. 13 – at Alabama

Oct. 20 – Memphis

Oct. 27 – Kentucky

Nov. 3 – at Florida

Nov. 10 – Vanderbilt

Nov. 17 – at Tennessee

Nov. 24 – Arkansas