It has little to do with this two game skid, but I just can't get comfortable thinking about this Homecoming game. And I'm not alone either as I've heard many question the 16+ point spread.
Why?
Is it the fact that it's a night game? Is it Missouri's record (which happens to be the same as Georgia's)? Or is it last year's game in Columbia when the Dawgs absolutely humiliated Missouri? Chubb and Co. carried the load 58 times for 210 yards on the way to a 34-0 victory.
But even that isn't reliable evidence. Missouri's defensive front is young, but man are they talented. Just looking at the tackles for loss, last year the team had 104 on the season and this year through six games they have 57. Leading the way is sophomore lineman Charles Harris with 11.5 TFLs amongst his 29 total tackles. Then there's redshirt freshman Walter Brady who has 8.5 TFLs, 6 sacks and an interception.
All that to say that this isn't the same defense that got railroaded last year. But it'll need to a similar performance from Georgia's offensive line if we're going to be able to end the skid. Schottenheimer is running the ball at about a 58% clip. If the o-line comes ready for the challenge it might allow their offensive coordinator to get closer to last year's 67/33 split in favor of running the ball.
And I think that would mean very good things for this offense Saturday night.
