The Missouri Tigers hope to get back in the hunt against the Texas Tech Red Raiders
The No. 12 Missouri Tigers (7-1, 3-1 Big 12) will look to recover this Saturday 6 November, just one week after their dreams of a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) title were more than likely quieted by the stingy defence of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Tigers
will head to Lubbock to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-4, 2-4 Big 12) at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert hopes to resurrect his offence, which was essentially shut down last weekend, as they take on the Texas Tech defence, statistically one of college football’s worst this season. With just four games remaining in the regular-season,
a win would keep the Tigers in the hunt for the Big 12 North’s divisional crown.
After a prominent victory over the (then-No. 1) Oklahoma Sooners on 23 October, Missouri faltered last week against a tough Nebraska squad, starting the game with a 24-point deficit before eventually losing 31-17. That loss to the division-leading Cornhuskers
means that the Tigers will likely have to run the table in their remaining contests in order to have a shot at the Big 12 title.
“It’s our first loss of the year,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. “It’s very difficult for all of us. We’re battlers and competitors. We’ll get up tomorrow, lessons learned, and move on.”
After being overpowered by Nebraska on both sides of the ball, a game against the lowly Red Raiders is probably a welcome sight for Missouri, and could be just what the Tigers need to get their season back on track. The Tigers were manhandled early and often
by Nebraska’s agile defensive line, which recorded six sacks. Coming in, Missouri had allowed only seven sacks in the season’s previous seven games.
Gabbert will certainly look forward to the opportunity to pick apart the Texas Tech secondary, which is giving up 317.4 yards per game through the air, second-worst in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision). The Red Raiders have struggled to defend the pass all
year long, including last Saturday’s 45-27 defeat at the hands of Texas A&M.
In his first career start, Aggies junior quarterback Ryan Tannehill torched the Texas Tech secondary for 449 yards through the air, a school record. He was also able to find the end zone four times against the Red Raiders, who have allowed a league-worst 18
passing touchdowns.
Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville knows that in order to turn his future (much less the season) around, things will have to change first and foremost on the defensive end. “We got to do a better job getting off the field,” the coach said of his defence, which
has been the root of the team’s struggles this season, giving up 32.6 points per game.
Compounding their apparent defensive issues is the uncertainty that surrounds the Red Raiders’ quarterback competition. Tuberville remains undecided as to who will get the starting nod at QB, teetering between seniors Steven Sheffield and Taylor Potts.
However, a number of the Tigers are going to prepare for the game as necessary, regardless of who’s under centre for Texas Tech. “It really doesn’t matter who we face,” said Missouri defensive back Kip Edwards. “Really, we’re just trying to get back on the
winning side.”
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