As Kentucky aims to pick up a third straight victory this week, the Kernel wanted to provide Wildcat fans an in-depth look at Saturday’s opponent: Mizzou.

In addition to the Kernel’s preview Braden Ramsey turned to Jack Soble, lead sports editor of Missouri’s student newspaper – The Maneater – for a first-hand account on some of the more pressing questions regarding the Tigers’ crazy season and their outlook on Kentucky. 

The start of Missouri’s season was far from ideal (dropping to 0-2), but last time the Tigers took the field, they picked up a big win. What was your biggest takeaway from that performance?

Jack – “My biggest takeaway from a long-term perspective is that I feel very confident saying Missouri has a quarterback. Obviously there’s the element of LSU’s defense is very not good, but what I saw from Connor Bazelak in that game told me that he can make all the throws, make good decisions. He throws a very catchable ball, very receiver friendly. He’s not the classic dual-threat quarterback, but he will run if needed and he can be effective running the read option, even the triple option. He runs the offense really well, makes the right reads. If I was a Mizzou fan, I’d feel very confident in Bazelak moving forward.

“My other takeaway is that the defense, while it will also give up the big play, it will also make big plays. The 41 points [against LSU] is a little misleading because the offense fumbled five times in its own territory and lost three, and the Tigers scored 17 points off of those turnovers. The defense did get beat over the top because it’s very hard to guard Terrace Marshall and Arik Gilbert. But it got off the field on a few key third downs, and when it came down to it, at the end of that game, the defense stopped LSU four times from inside the one-yard line, which is one of the more impressive defensive things I’ve ever seen.

“[Missouri] has had a brutal early schedule from a defensive perspective, but fans should be encouraged with the play from a few defensive guys: linebacker Nick Bolton (#32), who I’d argue is the second best linebacker in the SEC and can line up everywhere, plays fast, hits hard and tackles well; cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (#2), a true freshman who is long, makes plays on the ball and has more than held his own against some brutal competition; and safety Martez Manuel (#3), a true sophomore who has really come on early. He had 3.5 tackles for loss against Alabama.”

Connor Bazelak shined with 406 yards and four touchdowns in the Mizzou’s victory over the reigning national champions. Were those numbers more attributable to him finally getting his legs back under him after his ACL surgery last December, or because he was facing a very vulnerable LSU pass defense?

Jack – “I’ll have to go with neither. I think he played very well against Tennessee, it’s just that the team as a whole couldn’t put it together. The receiving core had major drop problems against the Vols; it’s very possible that 14-17 points were left on the field due to drops. They had zero against LSU; notably, three of their top four receivers were out for that game due to COVID. Those three guys had a lot of the drop issues, and low and behold the receivers who came in and played well last week are at the top of the depth chart even though those guys are healthy and ready to go.

“There was a noticeable shift not only in production, but in the play calling when he entered the Tennessee game. They threw down field more, and having Bazelak in allowed [Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz] to open the playbook. They love utilizing jet sweep and end around action for pop passes, which plays a part in Bazelak’s improved numbers. I’d say [he] has always had the talent, and showed it in his first appearances, but better hands on the outside in the LSU game are why his numbers were so gaudy.”

Mizzou has faced a lot of challenging circumstances this year, from changing game locations versus LSU and COVID to a postponement last week and other schedule alterations. How have players and staff handled all the adversity?

Jack – “They’ve handled it pretty well. I’ll say that the LSU game getting moved definitely helped more than it hurt because it got moved to their home field with their home fans, but yeah they’ve had adversity due to COVID and NCAA sanctions. It’s very much a transition coming off a Barry Odom regime that did not recruit well. The players that are left have played well under Drinkwitz, especially given the circumstances.

“As I mentioned, the receivers who were getting reps early but dropping passes went out due to COVID and contact tracing, and the receivers who came in – Tauskie Dove, Micah Wilson and D’Ionte Smith, who just flat out walked on to the team in January and ended up starting against LSU – really stepped up. I feel Jalen Knox was misused last year, and Drinkwitz has unlocked his potential as a guy they can scheme to get the ball in space, specifically with the jet sweep/end around action and the boot leg. Having those guys step up helped weather the adversity of having the original first-string receivers out, and they were rewarded with spots atop the depth chart.”

The Tigers really buckled down in run defense (just 2.5 yards per carry allowed) in the LSU game. Do you expect a similar showing against Kentucky’s rushing attack?

Jack – “I have zero clue. LSU’s running game is no slouch, and the defensive line dominated up front. They changed their depth chart, listing three down lineman for Kentucky instead of four like they had against the Tigers, but the alignment is basically the same. I think it helped them create a different look and let their defensive ends get inside in run defense.

‘”I think the plain answer is just “we’ll see.” They got blasted against Tennessee, they looked awesome against LSU. It’s really hard to tell based on film which Mizzou run defense is the real Mizzou run defense.”‘

How do you think Bazelak will fare when he goes toe-to-toe with a Wildcat pass defense that has been dominant in its past two showings?

Jack – “It’ll certainly be more of a challenge than LSU, but I don’t see any reason why he can’t be successful. I’m sure he’ll have rookie bumps, but that’s a good Tennessee defense that he played well against. I don’t expect him to struggle heavily against Kentucky – obviously he or the Kentucky defense may prove me wrong – but he has chemistry with the receivers who stepped in since he had been running second team most of fall camp, and I think that really made a difference last Saturday.  

“He’s a little inexperienced, as it’s only his third career start and he has played in only seven games, but bottom-line, I don’t see a reason why he would struggle all that much. And that’s not a knock on Kentucky; it’s based on the confidence I have in him.”

Score Prediction: Who comes out of Saturday’s game with a win, and why?

Jack – “I didn’t do this in any of the first three games, and this could obviously be a game where Mizzou is reading their own headlines. But with what I saw from Bazelak and what I saw from the defense, if they clean up the fumbles – a big if – I think Mizzou is gonna pull off the upset for a second straight time at Faurot Field. I think the Kentucky run game does well; I think the Mizzou’s run defense proves to be not a complete fluke, but that the LSU performance was a little bit of a fluke. I think Mizzou’s secondary can hold up against this Kentucky passing game that has struggled a bit, and I think Bazelak can make enough plays for them to win. Missouri 27-23.”

Jack Soble is the Lead Editor of Maneater Sports, which is the sports section of Missouri’s student newspaper, The Maneater.

To see his interview with Kernel Sports Editor Braden Ramsey on today’s game, click here.