Rivalry Week 3×3: Mizzou, SEC and National College Football Preview

Every Friday I will grace these electronic pages with my “Three by Three” preview of the week ahead in college football. I’ll take a look at three interesting things each in the Mizzou matchup, in the SEC and across the country. This weekend is all about feasting: first with your holiday meals on Thursday, then with non-stop drama and rivalries on Friday and Saturday.

Arkansas at Mizzou – Saturday, 2:30 p.m. on SEC Network

1.) Offensive game plan

Arkansas’ defense will present a tough challenge for Kirby Moore and Eli Drinkwitz as they employ their preferred sledgehammer run game approach. The Razorbacks’ stopping unit ranks in the top ten against the run, but is outside the top 100 in the country against the pass. Missouri will have to rely on its passing attack to emerge victorious. A schedule that looks like the first half of 2023 will be the best way to attack Arkansas’ lopsided defense.

2.) Defensive chaos

Thanks to new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, Arkansas has a really good offense. Quarterback Taylen Green commands a unit that is explosive in the air and can also move it on the ground. But the Hawgs are negligent, one of the most devastating offenses in the country. Mizzou’s offense creates above-average chaos, not as good as the Blake Baker years, but it’s still part of their game plan. They need to be disruptive on Saturday to prevent Arkansas yards from turning into Arkansas points.

3) Say goodbye

These two things bring us to our final point: Let’s have an emotional, victorious sendoff for these Tigers as they play their final game at Faurot Field. A pass-first script would mean big games for Cook, Burden and Wease, and what better way to say goodbye to this legendary trio than with a crowded stat sheet? A devastating day on defense could mean big plays from Williams, Walker, Newson, Flagg, Hicks and Charleston. These are people who laid the foundation for this successful era or were able to build on it. There’s no better way to send them in style.

In the SEC

South Carolina at Clemson – Saturday, 11 a.m. on ESPN

I will enjoy it with gritted teeth. I find the whole Dabo Swinney deal abhorrent and generally love ACC teams getting beat by a God’s Own Conference team. On the other hand, South Carolina earns a spot in the playoffs – our playoff spot – Thanks to a “loss of quality” on the resume and a squeak about Mizzou, this is downright annoying.

Nevertheless, football should be fun. Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and SC’s LaNorris Sellers are both creative playmakers, and the defense has plenty of athleticism and physicality. It’s also a good running back matchup.

Texas at Texas A&M – Saturday, 6:30 p.m. on ABC

I love a renewed rivalry. We will have our own chance at this moment next year, on September 6, 2025. This promises to be the best atmosphere of the season, a cacophony of waving towels and loud chants the likes of which we’ve never seen. On the field, Mike Elko’s defense against Steve Sarkisian’s offense is a grandmaster chess game.

Wouldn’t it be hilarious…

One thing about SEC rivalry week this year is the preponderance of “Wouldn’t that be hilarious…?” potential outcomes, no matter how unlikely. Auburn slamming the door on Kalen DeBoer in his first year? Yes, that would be hilarious. Is Georgia Tech playing in front of a failed Georgia offense? What a riot. Florida State was on the rise just as Billy Napier was rewriting its history? I’m dying. Is Diego Pavia doing Diego Pavia things to keep Tennessee out of the playoffs? Incredible. Maybe Mississippi State could pull off the funniest thing in history.

Around the nation

Heisman Hopefuls: Oregon State at Boise State – Friday, 11 a.m. on FOX; Oklahoma State at Colorado – Friday, 11 a.m. on ABC

The Heisman race has shrunk to two underdogs. The usual suspects of veteran quarterbacks on the top ten teams have all underperformed (Ewers, Beck, Allar) or been okay (Gabriel, Ward, Howard). In their place, we have a group of five running backs who are having a monster season, and a two-way superstar who is putting in monstrous effort every week. Due to a scheduling quirk, both will play on Friday lunchtime and make their final arguments for the sport’s highest individual prize.

Big 12 Madness – all weekend

I haven’t bothered to analyze the various Big 12 Championship Game matchup possibilities. Rest assured, the variations are practically endless. Trying to figure out how this league will play out would be like trying to predict the outcome of a 52-man game. Arizona State appears to be in charge, but most of the league is still alive. Watching this drama unfold over the course of two days will feel like bingeing a Netflix show over a weekend.

Michigan at Ohio State – Saturday, 11 a.m. on FOX

Talk about a chance to do the funniest thing in history. Ryan Day needs this more than perhaps any other coach in history “needed this.” Ohio State is headed to the playoffs, but for the Buckeyes this season isn’t just about getting in the dance. They need a deep playoff run. They need a conference championship. They really need to end Michigan’s losing streak. Either Michigan can keep this game close and the drama and tension will be unforgettable, or Ohio State will unleash three seasons of pent-up anger. Both will be entertaining.