re: How Do We Beat Bama?

Double team Cooper and press him at the line of scrimmage. Man-coverage for everyone else. Make the other receivers beat us.

If Mizzou gives up 7 catches for 70 yards to Cooper, MU has a chance to win the game.

If they play like Auburn did, game is already decided.

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Hopefully Pinkel has more tricks up his sleeve. I don't know how we win this game.

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What worries me is I can easily see yeldon running through us like knife through butter.

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yea not really feeling that love for our chances,

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Yeah. Probably a poor choice of words.

More accurately, I like out chances more this year against Alabama than I did last year against Auburn.

Well I just rifled through a bunch of stats at the CBFstats links and I'm surprised how similar Missouri and Alabama are statistically, in conference.

They are almost dead even running the ball and defending the run. They are also very comparable in Sacks and Tackles for Loss, with very small edges to Missouri.

Alabama has an edge in Sacks Allowed and a decided edge in most passing categories. So I'm hoping the late surge in Maty Mauk's passing performance helps even this up a little.

The two areas where Missouri has potential game-changing edges are in turnovers (particularly forced fumbles) and the kicking game.

Alabama is fumbling at a clip of 1.5 per game, losing over 1 per in the SEC with 9 in 8 games. Meanwhile Missouri led the league in creating fumbles with 12 in 8 conference games. Conversely, Missouri has only lost two fumbles all year. The most lopsided edge in any category between the two teams.

In the kicking game, as hard as we rag on Baggett he's converting FGs at 67%, while Bama's kicker is hitting at a horrific 45% clip in SEC games.

Another key is for Baggett to nail touchbacks. He must do this. His ratio has slipped from 54% in our OCC to 47% and our kick-off coverage unit on those returned ranks in the bottom quarter of the league. On the flip side, Alabama only gets touchbacks on 25% of their kick-offs, so Marcus Murphy will have opportunities.

And I hate to say it, but we are at a decided disadvantage in the punting game. They're #1 and Brinser is in the bottom quarter - and that's not factoring in return yardage. I'm not a fan of this rugby bullshite, but it is what it is.

Missouri is also the 13th most penalized team in the SEC in conference games, while Alabama is the 4th least, so hopefully they can tighten it up. And while I'm not sure what it means (maybe a reflection of pressure created), but in Opponent Penalties Missouri ranks in 6th while Alabama is dead last at 14th.


So statistically, if Missouri is going to win I see a game where hot Maty Mauk has a good to great game with good ball security, the special teams work in our favor, and the defense creates at least a +2 in the turnover battle.

And based on the season long eyeball test, if Missouri is within striking distance entering the 4th quarter we can (and hopefully will) win it.

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It sucks, I honestly feel if we had DGB we would win.

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I feel the same way. We are one playmaker on offense away from having a very great team. If our WR's would just hold onto balls better we could really work Bama's corners.

Based on what I saw in the Iron Bowl from Bama's secondary DGB would tear them apart. If we run the ball effectively we can take them. Can't sit back and start the game with dink and dunk passes behind the line like we did vs. Arky. Gotta be physical.

Congrats Zou fans on pulling it together and finishing the year off strong.

How do you beat Bama...Mauk needs to have the best game he has ever played. His accuracy with passes and when to cut and run needs to be spot on. I have always been amazed by how often the other QB has his best game ever when he plays us. That is typically a sign of a good competitor. If that happens your D-line has what it would take to keep Bama in check enough for Mauk to make a difference.

Here's to having a great game and as few injuries as possible. Thank whoever in your AD ticket office made the choice to give many of us access to your ticket allotment.

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hard time learning lessons

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Mizzou is not the first and will not be the last. Our allotment goes to season ticket holders and students only. Over the last 40 years we have learned the easiest way to get bowl tickets is to be first in line for the other teams allotment.

Agree with you roadhouse about the game opening up when we can hit those 5-15 yard passes. I just mean the behind the line swing passes to the RBs and the excessive WR screens. That won't work vs an aggressive Bama D.

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But if it happens consistently, well...

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Take it however you wish.

Case in point, this past weekend Auburn's QB was throwing darts in small windows. Not his normal skill. He had his best accuracy passing day of the year.

My concern is that MM has the ability to do the same thing and he has better passing skills than Nick Marshall. The way Saban/Smart defense is run, small windows will always be there. The question comes down to if the QB can execute under fire to hit those windows consistently. If he does, the game becomes a shoot-out. If he is missing those small windows just a little the game becomes a blow-out.

You beat Alabama with a QB that has his A+ game that day and a D that can make Bama work for scores with long drives rather than quick hits. We have the players to score quick but our biggest flaw this year is mental errors that kill drives.