Mizzou Football: Three things to watch in week four against South Carolina

COLUMBIA, MO - SEPTEMBER 7: A Missouri Tigers football helmet rests on a table during the first half of a NCAA college football game against the West Virginia Mountaineers Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Columbia Missouri. (Photo by Scott Kane/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Saturday afternoon the Mizzou football will look to keep things rolling as they host the South Carolina Gamecocks in their conference opener.

After starting the 2019 season with a surprising defeat on the road against the Wyoming Cowboys, the Missouri Tigers rebounded to pummel the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Southeast Missouri Red Hawks by a combined score of 88-7.

But now conference play begins with a match against a team (and coach) that have had the Tigers’ number the past couple of seasons.

Let’s check into three things for which to watch in this Tigers-Gamecocks game, also known as The Battle of Columbias*.

*It’s actually called the Mayor’s Cup, which, I don’t know. Meh.

Exorcising the South Carolina (& Muschamp) Curse

Alright, maybe curse is too strong of a word to use here, but the Gamecocks have won the last three games against the Tigers.

In 2016, South Carolina won on their home turf 31-21 in a year in which they only averaged 20.8 points per game. The following season, in Columbia, Missouri, the Gamecocks absolutely lit up Mizzou, winning 31-13. And then last season, back in the Palmetto State, South Carolina won a nail-biter, 37-35 in a torrential downpour.

But the worst loss for Missouri against South Carolina came back in 2013. I remember this one vividly as I had just returned from, of all places, South Carolina, where I’d spent a couple of days in Charleston.

In the days leading up to the game, I ventured through downtown Charleston wearing my Mizzou hat and jacket, and came across only friendly fans. Still, I hoped Mizzou kicked some you-know-what.

Yeah, that didn’t happen. In a season in which Mizzou would reach the SEC Championship Game (losing to Auburn) and finish with a great 12-2 record, well, this was one of those two losses, as the Gamecocks prevailed, 27-24.

In the three most recent losses to South Carolina, Will Muschamp has been the head ball coach. While the head coach for the Florida Gators, Muschamp went 2-2 against Missouri. At 5-2 all-time against the Tigers, Muschamp, whose career record is only 51-40, seems to have Missouri’s number.

Time to change the narrative.

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