The No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide squares off in a heavyweight ranked battle with No. 14 Missouri on Saturday. Alabama enters the matchup coming off huge wins against Georgia and Vanderbilt, while Missouri remains unbeaten and looking to bolster its résumé.
The Crimson Tide offense has looked smooth since its season-opening loss to Florida State. Quarterback Ty Simpson is coming off a strong performance against Vanderbilt, throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns after an interception on the first drive. While Simpson handled pressure well for most of the game, he was sacked four times.
“We had too many negative plays,” Simpson said. “I took four sacks. I can’t do that — I’ve got to throw the ball away.”
Missouri’s defense ranks 17th nationally in sack percentage, which could play a major role in Saturday’s outcome.
The Alabama quarterback has also done an impressive job spreading the ball around, completing passes to eight different receivers against Vanderbilt. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said he’s been impressed with the wide receiver group and its ability to make contested catches.
“They’re competitors — they all have a little something different,” DeBoer said. “There’s a ton of overlap in their skill sets. I think they can all do things with the ball.”
Missouri leads the nation in total defense, allowing 198 yards per game. However, the Tigers have yet to face a receiving corps as deep as Alabama’s, which will test their secondary throughout the game.
While Alabama’s high-octane offense revolves around Simpson’s playmaking ability, running back Jam Miller has emerged as a key contributor on the ground. Miller carried the rock 22 times for 136 yards and a touchdown against Vanderbilt.
DeBoer said Miller’s success has taken pressure off Simpson and made the offense more balanced. Miller will face a stiff challenge against a Missouri defense that allows the fewest rushing yards per game in the country.
If Alabama can control the line of scrimmage, Miller could be in for another big performance against one of the nation’s top run defenses.
Missouri has been rolling to start the season, opening 5-0 with a win over South Carolina. The Tigers have had no problem scoring, averaging 41.3 points and 544.5 yards per game.
That offensive explosion may come as a surprise to some, given Missouri’s new-look offense following the departures of quarterback Brady Cook and star receiver Luther Burden.
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz said over the summer that the offense wasn’t as productive or enjoyable as it should have been in the past.
“We got to get back to having fun as an offense and being creative and, you know, throwing a little bit of caution to the wind,” Drinkwitz said.
So far, his team has responded. Missouri’s offense ranks among the nation’s top 10 in points per game, powered by one of the most dominant rushing attacks in college football. Transfer running back Ahmad Hardy has been at the center of that success, rushing for 730 yards and nine touchdowns through five games.
“Every time I step on the field, I’m thinking I’ve got to prove something,” Hardy said. “I do have something to prove. I honestly feel like that.”
Hardy, the nation’s leading rusher, will give the Alabama defense problems, a defense that has struggled to stop the run. The Crimson Tide ranks 70th nationally in opponent rushing yards per game, setting up a marquee matchup in the trenches.
Both teams will look to get a top 25 win in Columbia and stay undefeated in SEC play.
