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The Missouri Tigers (2019: 6-6, 3-5 SEC) and #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-2, 6-2 SEC) meet up Saturday night in Columbia to get their seasons underway, as both teams look to get off on the right track.
How to Watch
Time: 6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN
Streaming: WatchESPN
Odds
Spread: Alabama -27
O/U: 56
Alabama
Despite losing Tua Tagovailoa, Henry Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy, and others. Alabama is still coming into the season ranked #2 in the nation. The Tide have been in the top 3 of the AP Poll to start the season for ten straight seasons, which is incredible.
Going from Tua to Mac Jones will likely be a bit of a transition, but starting it against the Missouri Tigers certainly will help things. More on the Tigers in a minute, though.
It’s hard to find too many flaws in Alabama, as is so often the case. They are likely still the favorite in the SEC, especially now that LSU no longer has an historically great offense. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see the Tide back in the College Football Playoff, assuming such a thing exists this season.
In their three meetings since Missouri joined the SEC, Alabama is 3-0 with an average margin of victory of 30 points.
Missouri
Listen, the Tigers will be on the right track under Eli Drinkwitz. But starting against Alabama without over a dozen players due to COVID,, plus having yet to name a starting quarterback? It’s not ideal for Mizzou. Maybe things will get better for them as the season progresses, but this is perhaps the most unenviable of starts of any team in the conference this season. To make things worse, Tennessee and LSU loom for the Tigers after Alabama.
This is a team that certainly could have used the cushion of a nonconference schedule to get things in order before a tenacious SEC schedule. Being thrown right into said schedule does Mizzou no favors, but you play the hand your dealt.
Unfortunately for Mizzou, the hand that has been dealt in week 1 is most likely a losing one.