The white-hot 23rd-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks will look to pick up their fourth straight win this Saturday, as they welcome the 24th-ranked Missouri Tigers to Williams-Brice for a 4 o’clock showdown in Columbia. With two losses already on their record, Mizzou will be looking to avoid a third and in doing so stay alive in a heated SEC race.
Shane Beamer’s team is currently riding a wave of momentum that few other programs can match, but it can all come to a crashing halt if they aren’t careful. Can the Gamecocks continue their winning ways against a sneaky good Missouri? Let’s find out in this week’s South Carolina Gamecocks matchup preview.
Woeful Season for Mizzou
Coming into the season, the Missouri Tigers were viewed by many as a safe bet to make the new expanded playoff. After all, they were coming off an 11-2 2023 campaign which they capped off with a 14-3 Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State. With many of their key players returning, a breakout season seemed destined in Eli Drinkwitz’s fifth year at the helm.
Fast-forward to where we are now, however, and it’s clear that things have not gone as well as the Tigers had hoped. A combination of factors, including injuries, has led Mizzou to a 7-2 record, with both losses coming in blowout fashion. The first of these came in the form of a 41-10 beatdown to Texas A&M, and the other was a 34-0 blanking by Alabama.
Looking at these two results and comparing them to how Carolina fared against both teams, it can be easy to assume that the Gamecocks should have no issue drubbing Missouri. While it is true that both teams appear to be trending in opposite directions, this doesn’t mean that the Tigers don’t pose a threat.
Tigers on Offense
While it may seem hard to believe at first glance, Mizzou possesses one of the more elite skill position groupings in the country. This is primarily due to the pairing of pass catchers the Tigers have out wide in Luther Burden III, and Theo Wease Jr. Both former five-star recruits, Wease and Burden have quietly become one of the best wide receiver duos in the country.
I say quietly because, despite their immense talent, the Tigers have struggled to get them the ball. This is due in large part to the injury struggles of star quarterback Brady Cook. One of the nation’s top returning passers, Cook has seen his final season at Mizzou tainted by several nagging injuries.
These injuries have led the Tigers to rely largely on transfer quarterback Drew Pyne, and as a result, the passing game has struggled. As of this writing, Cook is listed as doubtful to play against Carolina, which would make the third straight game he’s missed. The lack of consistency at quarterback doesn’t mean that Beamer is looking past the Tiger’s elite pass catchers though.
“Both those guys complement each other because they’re really good at that scheme, in my opinion,” Beamer said. “They can get going sideways, put their foot in the ground and get vertical.”
The Tigers also possess a great offensive line, and electric running back pairing. If the Gamecocks look past Mizzou just because Cook isn’t playing, then they’d be doing themselves a massive disservice. The Tigers still have every ability to torch the Gamecocks offensively if they aren’t careful.
Mizzou Formidable on Defense
The Tigers also possess one of the better defensive units in the SEC, ranking third in total defense which is right above Carolina. They are however much better against the pass than the run, which can skew things a bit. Still, the Tigers are sure to be a challenge for LaNorris Sellers and company.
Mizzou currently ranks as the SEC’s second-best pass defense, which has a lot to do with their physicality up front and discipline on the back end. Their front seven doesn’t get a lot of sacks, but they certainly have the ability to harass the quarterback. Combined with a seasoned secondary that doesn’t get beat much, the Tigers make it very challenging to pass the football.
On the flip side, Mizzou ranks 12th in the SEC when it comes to defending the run. This is at least partly due to key injuries along the interior, but overall teams seem to have little issue gashing them on the ground. From what we know about Carolina’s offense, this should play to their advantage.
Still, the Gamecocks will have to make sure they don’t fall into the trap of relying solely on the run. If they allow the Tigers to key in on the run game, and as a result are unable to pass the ball when they need to then things could get out of hand. Keeping the Tigers honest on defense is the key, and that comes from a layered offensive attack.
Final Thoughts
Looking at where the Gamecocks are currently, this should be a relatively easy win. The offense is rolling under Seller and Raheim Sanders, and the defense remains among the nation’s best. Add in the likely absence of Cook for Mizzou, and things tilt in Carolina’s favor even more. That being said, games aren’t played on paper and the Gamecocks can’t afford to take the Tigers lightly.
This is a team that has historically outplayed the Gamecocks by being more aggressive and physical up front. The Gamecocks must avoid this familiar trap by establishing their presence up front early and often. If Carolina the run game going and keeps the back end honest with the deep ball then they should have no issues picking apart the Tigers.
On defense, Burden and Wease have to be kept contained. Carolina cannot allow either to get behind them, as these two have the ability to take over entire games regardless of who’s throwing them the ball. If Carolina can contain these two, then the rest should take care of itself.
