Missouri football preview: A look at every game on the 2010 schedule
Published Sept. 3, 2010
Illinois (at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis)
When: Sept. 4
2009 Record: 3-9 (2-6 Big Ten)
All-Time Series: Missouri holds the 16-7 edge in the series.
Last Meeting: The Tigers opened the 2009 season with a 37-9 win against the Illini. Then-sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert threw for 313 yards and three touchdowns in the victory.
What to Watch For: The Illini are coming off a dismal season but are starting fresh with redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Sceelhaase at quarterback. Junior running back Mikel Leshoure should also be a factor in the Illini's impressive running game. Leshoure rushed for 734 yards and five touchdowns last season.
X-Factor: The inexperienced Sceelhaase will be making his first career start.
Prediction: Missouri by 17
McNeese State
When: Sept. 11
2009 Record: 9-2 (6-1 Southland Conference)
Last Meeting: None
All-Time Series: This is the first meeting between the two teams.
What to Watch For: The Cowboys return 15 starters from last year's Southland Conference title team. McNeese State has a powerful offense that averaged 443 yards and 37 points per game last year.
X-Factor: Despite the impressive record, the Cowboys do not encounter high caliber teams on a regular basis playing in the Southland Conference. If the Tigers set the tone early, a blowout is likely.
Prediction: Missouri by 28
San Diego State
When: Sept. 18
2009 Record: 4-8 (2-6 Mountain West)
Last Meeting: The Tigers rolled past the Aztecs 31-7 in 1980.
All-Time Series: Missouri is 2-0 all-time against San Diego State.
What to Watch For: Aztec quarterback Ryan Lindley has a strong arm in a pass-heavy offense, throwing for 3054 yards and 23 touchdowns last year.
X-Factor: The Aztec running game is virtually non-existent, and Lindley is immobile, with -131 yards rushing last year. If the Tigers put pressure on the quarterback, the Aztecs will be in major trouble.
Prediction: Missouri by 21
Miami (Ohio)
When: Sept. 25
2009 Record: 1-11 (1-7 Mid-American Conference)
Last Meeting: None
All-Time Series: This is the first meeting between the two teams.
What to Watch For: Miami is coming off a rough year in a weak conference. Opponents outscored Miami 410-187 last season, and with weak running and passing games, this should be an easy victory for the Tigers.
X-Factor: The only way the Redhawks will stay in this game is if the Tigers play down to them. But, the Tigers have a tendency to let sub par teams hang around longer than they should (Bowling Green last year).
Prediction: Missouri by 31
Colorado
When: Oct. 9
2009 Record: 3-9 (2-6 Big 12)
Last Meeting: The Tigers cruised to a 36-17 victory last season. Recent graduate Danario Alexander caught eight passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
All-Time Series: Missouri holds a commanding 41-31-3 record all-time against Colorado.
What to Watch For: Running back Rodney Stewart had a productive 2009, amassing 100+ yards in five games last season as a sophomore. With another year of experience under his belt, he could develop into a powerhouse running back this season.
X-Factor: Missouri jumped on Colorado early with 21 points in the first quarter and never looked back. If the Tigers can get in a rhythm early they should be able to get the victory.
Prediction: Missouri by 10
At Texas A&M
When: Oct. 16
2009 Record: 6-7 (3-5 Big 12)
Last Meeting: The Tigers defeated the Aggies 40-26 in 2007.
All-Time Series: Missouri holds the series lead with a 5-2 all-time record.
What to Watch For: Senior quarterback Jerrod Johnson has set eight single-season school records last season, including passing yards, passing touchdowns and completions. Johnson threw for 3,579 yards and 30 touchdowns leading an offense that averaged nearly 33 points a game.
X-Factor: The Tiger defense will have to come ready to play against Johnson and running back Cyrus Gray, who combined for 1,263 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground last year.
Prediction: Texas A&M by 3
Oklahoma
When: Oct. 23
2009 Record: 8-5 (5-3 Big 12) Last Meeting: The Tigers last squared off against the Sooners at the Big 12 championship in 2008, where they were blown out 62-21.
All-Time Series: Oklahoma holds a steady lead in the series, 66-23-5.
What to Watch For: Oklahoma is strong on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Landry Jones threw for 3,198 yards and 26 touchdowns, and third team All-American Jeremy Beal earned 11 sacks for a stellar defense that held opponents to 14.5 points a game last season.
X-Factor: The Tigers will have to stop the impressive Sooner running game while also keeping Jones in check.
Prediction: Oklahoma by 14
At Nebraska
When: Oct. 30
2009 Record: 10-4 (6-2 Big 12)
Last Meeting: The Cornhuskers left the Tigers in despair after rallying from behind for a 27-12 victory in the pouring rain last season.
All-Time Series: Nebraska holds firm command over the series with a 64-36-3 record against Missouri.
What to Watch For: The Huskers, along with the Sooners, will be the toughest matchup for the Tigers this season. Nebraska led the nation in three different defensive categories, capitalized by returning defensive tackle Jared Crick's 73 tackles and 9.5 sacks last season. Not to be outdone, the Cornhusker offense features running back Roy Helu Jr., who provides senior leadership in addition to stellar production.
X-Factor: Roy Helu Jr. rushed for 1,147 yards and 10 touchdowns last year and will need to be contained for the Tigers to succeed.
Prediction: Nebraska by 7
At Texas Tech
When: Nov. 6
2009 Record: 9-4 (5-3 Big 12)
Last Meeting: Tigers won in blowout fashion, 41-10, when the teams last met in 2007.
All-Time Series: Missouri leads 5-2 all-time.
What to Watch For: Texas Tech has won 29 games in the last three years and has been bowl-eligible every year since 1994. It has a strong history and senior quarterback Taylor Potts coming off a 3,400 yard, 22 touchdown season in 2009, making it Missouri's toughest matchup outside of Nebraska and Oklahoma.
X-Factor: The Red Raiders have a new coach this year in Tommy Tuberville, and their success depends on how fast he makes the adjustment.
Prediction: Missouri by 3
Kansas State
When: Nov. 13
2009 Record: 6-6 (4-4 Big 12)
Last Meeting: Missouri beat Kansas State 38-12 when they met last season.
All-Time Series: Tigers are 59-31-5 all-time against the Wildcats.
What to Watch For: Missouri has beaten Kansas State by an average of 20 points in their last four meetings, and that trend might continue in 2010. The Wildcats' returning passing attack was 106th in the nation last year, and that should make them an easy win.
X-Factor: K-State's lone bright spot is senior tailback Daniel Thomas who rushed for over 1,200 yards in 2009 on more than five yards per carry. His performance will dictate the team's chance to beat the Tigers.
Prediction: Missouri by 17
At Iowa State
When: Nov. 20
2009 Record: 7-6 (3-5 Big 12)
Last Meeting: The Tigers beat the Cyclones 34-24 in 2009.
All-Time Series: Missouri is 59-34-9 overall against Iowa State.
What to Watch For: The Cyclone defense won't be up to the task of stopping the Tiger passing game, as Iowa State is consistently at the bottom of the ranks in points allowed. On offense, the quarterback crew threw more interceptions than touchdowns in 2009 (17 picks, 16 TDs), a problem the Tiger secondary will only exacerbate.
X-Factor: Senior quarterback and returning starter Austen Arnaud threw 13 of those interceptions last year and lost his main target to graduation. If he can overcome these obstacles, they might put up a fight.
Prediction: Missouri by 14
Kansas (at Arrowhead Stadium)
When: Nov. 27
2009 Record: 5-7 (1-7 Big 12)
Last Meeting: The Tigers edged out their border rivals 41-39 last year.
All-Time Series: Missouri and Kansas are nearly even all-time, with the Tigers leading the series 55-54-9.
What to Watch For: This is clearly a rebuilding year for Kansas with the graduation of star quarterback Todd Reesing and main wideout Kerry Meier. The Jayhawks also have few returning starters on the defensive side of the ball. They will have to see a lot of youngsters step up if they want to break their six-game Big 12 losing streak.
X-Factor: The neutral site for the contest might be the X-Factor here. Home field advantage and fan presence can play big roles in college games, so the attendance of the fans might make the difference here. Tiger fans will have to make a longer trip than the Jayhawks, but hopefully they'll make it.
Prediction: Missouri by 7
