The Texas Longhorns travel to Columbia to take on the Missouri Tigers in a big time football game this weekend between two SEC teams with two losses apiece.
Every Texas game seems to come down to one thing: Can you run the football, and can you protect your quarterback?
Or are we going to do what we’ve been doing for the last two years, which is basically telling Arch Manning, “Hey, Arch, can you go win us the football game, or are you going to lose us the football game? Because it’s all on you, bud.”
“We’re not going to be able to run the football. We’re going to get you sacked six times. We’re only going to rush the ball for 2.8 yards per carry, like we did last week against Mississippi State.”
Can that defense and can Arch make enough plays for Texas to actually go out and win?
And for Missouri, which Austin Simmons do you get?
Do you get the guy who’s absolutely unconscious for four quarters, or do you get the guy who’s unconscious on one throw and then dirts the next one? Which one do we actually get?
Who Can Establish the Run Game?
Who’s going to be the king of wide-zone runs on Saturday?
Because just as important as it is for Texas to run the football, it’s just as important for Missouri to be able to do that.
Texas has been really good against the run, and I would imagine Will Muschamp is going to have a great plan against that wide-zone running game Missouri has.
Missouri has shown what it can do against the run, too, including how it played against Florida earlier in the season.
That’s what I’m going to be paying attention to: how important the run is for both of these offenses.
That’s going to be the deciding factor for me. How well do the defenses prepare for it, and how well are the offenses able to execute in that area?
Texas vs. Missouri X-Factor: Texas’ Offensive Line
It’s always the offensive line for Texas. That’s always the X-factor in these college football games, and they’ve been getting whooped for most of the season.
They’re coming off what I would argue was their worst performance this season.
Florida was bad, but I would argue that last week against Mississippi State was their worst. They averaged fewer than three yards per carry and gave up six sacks.
So, do they show a pulse?
I think it just is what it is at this point.
Texas vs. Missouri Prediction
Missouri outgains and outrushes Texas in a game that goes down to the fourth quarter, and a Texas turnover ends up costing the Longhorns the football game.
Final Score Prediction: Missouri 27, Texas 24
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