Arizona State Sun Devils @ Missouri Tigers Game Preview
ARIZONA ST. SUN DEVILS (2-0, 0-0) @ MISSOURI TIGERS (1-1, 0-1)
RANKINGS (AP/COACHES/SAGARIN): MU – NR/NR/63RD ASU – 38TH/31ST/3RD
KICKOFF: 6:00PM CT, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
WHERE: FAUROT FIELD/MEMORIAL STADIUM/THE ZOU, COLUMBIA, MO
SPREAD: MU (-3.5) O/U 58.0
TV: ESPN 2 (JOE TESSITORE, MATT MILLEN, SHELLEY SMITH)
RADIO: TIGER NETWORK – 980AM & 98.1FM IN KC, 1580AM & 96.7FM IN COLUMBIA
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY, UPPER 60’S, ESE WINDS 6MPH
MU INJURIES: OUT – LT. ELVIS FISHER, LB. ZAVIAR GOODEN, LG. TRAVIS RUTH, WR. WESLEY LEFTWICH…QUESTIONABLE – QB. JAMES FRANKLIN, RG. JACK MEINERS
ASU INJURIES: OUT – LB. CARLOS MENDOZA…QUESTIONABLE – DT. COREY ADAMS, TE. MAX SMITH, LB. BRANDON MAGEE
SEC EAST STANDINGS: #7 GEORGIA (2-0, 1-0), #8 SOUTH CAROLINA (2-0, 1-0), #18 FLORIDA (2-0, 1-0), #23 TENNESSEE (2-0), KENTUCKY (1-1), MISSOURI (1-1, 0-1), VANDERBILT (0-2, 0-1)
After a 41-20 defeat in their first ever SEC game to the hands of the #7 Georgia Bulldogs, the Missouri Tigers look to bounce back against a very dangerous Arizona State team who beat Mizzou last year in Tempe 37-30 in an exciting overtime thriller where former Tiger kicker Grant Ressel missed a field goal at the end of regulation that would have won it for the Tigers.
To make things more interesting this week, starting quarterback James Franklin has reportedly aggravated his throwing shoulder, the same shoulder he had surgery on in the offseason to repair a partially torn labrum, and his availability for tonight is in doubt.
I should have listened to my pal Dane Schnakenberg who informed me Wednesday night that he talked to Franklin at the Mizzou volleyball game and Franklin told him it was unlikely that he would play Saturday night.
But it was confirmed Friday evening that Franklin did indeed tweak his throwing shoulder, although it is not considered to be serious.
Redshirt freshman Corbin Berkstresser, who looked very impressive in limited time against Southeastern Louisiana two weeks ago, will get his first career start if Franklin is unable to go tonight. At 6’3, 230lbs, Berk has very good size for a quarterback and has a cannon of an arm, similar to former Tiger Blaine Gabbert.
Obviously it isn’t considered a good thing when your starting quarterback isn’t playing and his replacement is a redshirt freshman who has never started a game in the college ranks.
Tonight should be very interesting…and nerve racking.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
MIZZOU OFFENSE VS ARIZONA ST. DEFENSE
Without Franklin at the helm, the offense will change somewhat. But Berkstresser can run the ball too and at 230lbs, he’s tough to get down. I don’t expect near as many called runs for Berk as Franklin gets, but he’ll get some.
I think we’ll see a lot of Kendial Lawrence and Marcus Murphy tonight, which is good because they were surprisingly not a part of the game plan last week against Georgia. Arizona St. struggles to stop the run, but Mizzou’s battered offensive line will have to improve quickly.
Starting left tackle and sixth year senior Elvis Fisher left last Saturday’s game with a sprained right knee and will be out for over a month. Just what an already injury riddled offensive line needed. Right tackle Justin Britt slides over to left tackle, with center Mitch Morse taking over at right tackle. Brad McNulty is the starting center now and did a very good job when he came into the game. True freshman Evan Boehm is still at left guard with Max Copeland at right guard, although Jack Meiners could be returning at that spot very soon.
If you want to be successful offensively in the SEC, you better be able to put together the best offensive line you can as the premier SEC defenses have incredible size and athleticism up front.
So naturally, Mizzou right off the bat has terrible luck with injuries on the offensive line. Figures. There has been so much turnover from last year, it’s incredible. Already losing three starters to graduation, and then of course season ending injuries to starting left guard Travis Ruth and tackle Taylor Chappell in fall camp.
Mizzou’s line is very inexperienced and depth is a major issue right now.
Hopefully, they can grow up quick as Berkstresser will need time in the pocket as he is not as elusive as Franklin.
If Berk has the time, it will be very interesting to see what he can do against a much improved looking Arizona St. secondary led by corners Alden Darby and Osahon Irabor. Granted, the competition hasn’t been great, but ASU ranks eighth in the nation in pass defense and ninth in pass efficiency defense. They also lead the country in interceptions so far with six, including three by their linebackers.
The running game is going to have to work tonight, meaning Lawrence and Murphy will have to have big games. Berkstresser will need balance and improved pass protection tonight. He has all the tools you’re looking for in a pro style quarterback. But obviously, this is his first collegiate start, so there will be some mistakes, especially if he is not getting a lot of help up front.
Franklin’s injury is obviously a huge concern regarding this game. His dual threat ability and experience will be tough to replace, but Berkstresser’s skills as a passer are intriguing.
MIZZOU DEFENSE VS. ARIZONA ST. OFFENSE
Mizzou’s defense was very impressive last week against an experienced and very talented Georgia offense. Like I said before the game and before the season, Mizzou’s defense is better suited for the traditional, run first type of offenses they’ll see in the SEC. The Tigers have a very good front seven and can stop the run.
What they’ve struggled with the most throughout the years is pass defense. And it’s usually against teams that spread you out like Mizzou’s offense does. Dave Steckel and the Tigers would much prefer to be in a base 4-3 defense rather than nickel or dime formations.
When Georgia started to spread the Tigers out and go no-huddle, that’s when they started moving the ball through the air a little more.
Mizzou will see plenty more of that going up against Arizona St’s pass happy offense led by redshirt sophomore and first year starting quarterback Taylor Kelly.
The Sun Devils come in to the game ranked eighth nationally in scoring offense with 108 points in their first two games of the season against Northern Arizona and Illinois, who was without their starting quarterback in Nathan Scheelhaase.
The ground game is led by senior Cameron Marshall who is also a very good receiver out of the backfield and will be a handful for Mizzou’s D.
Tight end Chris Coyle leads the nation in receiving yards by a tight end after hauling in 10 catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns last week against Illinois. Senior wide receiver Jamal Miles is their top threat outside.
The Tigers will be without their best linebacker in Zaviar Gooden for the game because of a hamstring issue. Redshirt sophomore Donovan Bonner, who had an interception last week, will replace Gooden. Zaviar’s injury is not considered serious and hopefully for the Tigers he can play next week at #8 South Carolina.
First year coach for the Sun Devils, Todd Graham, is known for his high flying offenses and it looks like he might continue that at Arizona St. However, we’ll see how his first year quarterback does with his first career road test against a very good Mizzou defense.
PREDICTION: MIZZOU – 31 ARIZONA ST. – 28
This is obviously a very big game for the Tigers coming off an extremely emotional battle last week against Georgia. A lot of the national pundits are predicting an Arizona St. win because of that.
How will the team bounce back? Will they come out flat? Or will they come out fired up for revenge against the Sun Devils?
Of course, the injury to Franklin and the mass injuries on the offensive line is definitely a concern for tonight. A redshirt freshman making his first collegiate start against a quality opponent will be nerve racking to watch. You just don’t know what to expect, and you know there will be some mistakes, let’s just hope they’re not too costly.
The defense will have to come to play again, and hopefully the offense will not put them in a huge bind like they did several times last week. Let’s hope the offense can also convert some third downs and sustain some drives so the defense won’t be so worn out come the 4th quarter.
Honestly, this game is a toss-up now. The line has moved from Mizzou as 6.5 favorites to now only 3.5, which means the matchup now is about even. The Tigers do not want to drop to 1-2 on the season and at home, especially with their first SEC road game coming up next week against a very good team in South Carolina.
Mizzou will have to run the ball against them like they did last year and protect Berkstresser, and the defense will have to contain a dangerous passing attack and get pressure on another young quarterback making his first career road start.
It should be a close, nerve racking game, but I can also see one of the teams running away with it, let’s hope it’s not the Sun Devils who are the ones to do that.
Mizzou will have to move on quickly from a physically and emotionally exhausting battle last week against the Bulldogs and cannot come out flat against a dangerous Arizona St squad.
RIP EM UP TIGERS
M-I-Z