SEC Power Rankings: LSU, Alabama Fortify Themselves At The Top, Ole Miss Makes a Move
By Ben Nielsen
Sep 7, 2013; Columbia, MO, USA; The Missouri Tigers take the field prior to the game against the Toledo Rockets at Faurot Field. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
8. Missouri Tigers
Record: 2-0
Previous Ranking: 8 (Trend: — )
Last Week: Missouri 38, Toledo 23
This Week: Bye
Next Week: at Indiana
It wasn’t very pretty, but Missouri pulled out a win over Toledo last weekend to keep them perfect on the season.
This issue right now for the Tigers is they do not have a SEC defense. For all the talent they have at the skill positions on offense, they are lacking those same kind of big play guys on defense. Toledo hurt themselves by turning the ball over three times and committing nine penalties, otherwise they were having no issues picking up yardage on Missouri.
David Fluellen was the best example of this as he rushed for 111 yards on 14 carries and added 100 more yards on 10 catches. Missouri simply had no answer for how to stop him other than waiting for Toledo to make a foolish mistake (which they eventually would do).
If the Tigers want to be a contending team in the SEC they are going to have to get significantly better on defense. Their game against Indiana in two weeks will only accentuate how far Missouri has to go to get there.