Nov. 17, 2017
By Zac Ellis
VUCommodores.com
Previewing Saturday’s game between Vanderbilt and Missouri (6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network):
History Lesson: Missouri holds the all-time edge over Vanderbilt, 5-3-1, in a brief series but still one that dates back to 1895. In that year, the Tigers secured a 14-0 win in Columbia. But since Missouri’s addition to the SEC in 2012, it has won four of five games over the Commodores, including last season’s 26-17 victory in Columbia.
Names to Watch (Missouri)
QB Drew Lock
Lock leads the SEC in pretty much every passing category. He has thrown for a whopping 3,102 yards, averages 9.5 yards per attempt and boasts a quarterback rating of 169.02, all tops in the conference. Oh, and Lock has also thrown an FBS-leading 35 touchdown passes.
WR Emmanuel Hall
A Franklin, Tenn. native, Hall has built a reputation as a long-ball threat in Mizzou’s offense. Four of his six touchdowns this season has come from 50 or more yards out. Hall ranks third nationally in yards per catch (22.77) and is one of Lock’s favorite targets.
S Anthony Sherrils
Sherrils has notched an interception and a fumble recovery in each of his last two games. The ball-hawking safety has 45 tackles on the year and recorded a combined 12 stops against Florida and Tennessee.
PODCAST: RB Webb on emotions of Senior Night vs. Missouri
The Statistical
53.8
Average points scored by Missouri during its four-game winning streak. The Tigers’ offense is hitting on all cylinders down the home stretch, scoring at least 45 points in four straight games for the first time in school history. Mizzou has averaged almost 600 yards of offense in those four wins.
69.7
Kyle Shurmur‘s completion percentage in last week’s 44-21 loss to Kentucky. The junior quarterback completed 30 of 43 passes for 308 yards and two total touchdowns, but he also threw a career-high four interceptions. Still, Shurmur has been a catalyst for a Vanderbilt offense that has averaged 252.4 passing yards per game in the last five games. That offense next faces a Missouri defense that ranks 11th in the SEC against the pass (7.5 yards per attempt).
305.5
Rushing yards per game allowed by Vanderbilt’s defense in SEC play. The Commodores continue to struggle against the run, giving up 6.19 yards per carry and 26 touchdowns on the ground in 2017.
The Big Question: Can Vanderbilt find its defense? Commodores head coach Derek Mason didn’t sugarcoat his feelings about his team’s defense following the loss to Kentucky. “I’m pissed, I’m mad, I’m angry… We’ve got to get it right,” he told reporters afterward. This week, Missouri poses a greater offensive challenge than Kentucky did. With its postseason hopes still alive, how does the Vanderbilt defense respond?
Vanderbilt Needs To: Make Missouri’s offense one-dimensional. The Tigers averaged 7.5 yards per pass attempt and 8.2 yards per carry in a 50-17 win over Tennessee last week. Vanderbilt can’t afford to let Mizzou replicate that balance on offense. The Dores must take away the run or the pass and force Missouri into third-and-long situations. Otherwise, the scoreboard operator could get a workout.
Did You Know? With a win in either of its final two games, Missouri (5-5) would be just the seventh FBS team in history to start a season 1-5 and still attain bowl eligibility.
He Said It: “It will be their last time that they’ll play on this field. With that being the case, they need to be emotionally charged… this team needs that edge.” -Mason on Vanderbilt’s 20 seniors who will be recognized on Senior Night vs. Missouri
Zac Ellis is the Writer and Digital Media Editor for Vanderbilt Athletics.
