The Missouri football team will play in its first-ever SEC Championship after just two years in a conference it was ridiculed for joining. By fending off potential spoiler Texas A&M 28-21 on …
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Mizzou Prepares for SEC Championship
Posted
By Derrick Forsythe, Record Sports Editor
The Missouri football team will play in its first-ever SEC Championship after just two years in a conference it was ridiculed for joining.By fending off potential spoiler Texas A&M 28-21 on Saturday during Senior Night at Faurot Field, the Tigers won the SEC East Division outright over South Carolina.Fifth-ranked Mizzou, now 11-1, advances to play Auburn this Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.The game will pit perhaps the two most unlikely opponents against each other. Missouri and Auburn combined to go 2-14 on SEC play last season, with the latter finishing winless.For Missouri, a surprisingly improved defense and daunting pass rush have helped the Tigers trump other teams in the division, which were plagued with injuries.Beyond a shoulder setback that sidelined starting quarterback James Franklin for five weeks, Mizzou has stayed relatively healthy. And it was Franklin’s injury that actually revealed the exciting potential of freshman Matty Mauk, who will take over for the senior signal caller after this season.But Franklin will lead the Tigers into Atlanta this weekend after arguably outplaying Heisman winner Johnny Manziel during the Tigers’ final regular season game. He completed 18 of 28 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Manziel connected on a high percentage of his passes, going 24 of 35, but many of those wererushed as he was limited to 195 yards and was held in check on the ground, where typically poses the most threat. More impressively, Mizzou held Manziel to just 21 rushing yards on 11 carries.The good news for the Tigers is that Auburn is primarily a run team, and Mizzou has the second ranked rushing defense heading into this weekend, giving up 113 yards per game.Most Missouri fans probably expected their team would be playing previously No. 1 ranked Alabama until moments before the Tigers’ game on Saturday. Many seats in Memorial Stadium went unoccupied before kickoff, as fans swarmed around TVs at tailgate parties to catch a glimpse of the final minutes of the most unforgettable Iron Bowl in the history of the storied rivalry.Cheers erupted as and a chaos ensued that would have not existed two years ago in Columbia, when Auburn versus Alabama was of little concern to Mizzou fans. And while the Tigers may have a better shot at beating a less daunting Auburn team, it may have better suited Missouri for Alabama to win, instead of becoming the victim of a freakish 108-yard touchdown return off a missed field goal with no time remaining.Auburn seems like the historically easier opponent, but it is also perhaps the hottest and most, err say, fortunate team right now in college football. The Tigers boast one of the sports most dynamic running quarterbacks in Nick Marshall, who has broken the 100-yard rushing mark in three games. He showed well under pressure against Alabama’s defense, completing 11 of 16 passes for 97 yards and scrambling for another 99 yards.But before Mizzou surrenders prior to kickoff, let’s explore some advantages for the Columbia-based Tigers, traveling 11 hours as opposed to Auburn’s 70 miles to Atlanta.A look at Auburn’s schedules reveals it has given up at least three touchdowns to eight of its 12 opponents, holding only one SEC foe under that mark. Furthermore, the Tigers have played eight home games and just four contests on the road. More striking is that Auburn won its four home conference games by margins of 4, 8, 5 and 6. And the last two took nothing less than miracles for the Tigers to escape victorious. So, I think it’s fair to imply that there’s something in the air at Jordan-Hare Stadium.Fortunately, for Mizzou the game isn’t being played on Auburn’s campus but the close proximity will provide for a home-game like fan base for the orange and navy. And with the majority of the talk leading up to the game being dominated by how Auburn can somehow leap over Ohio State into the BCS Championship game, Missouri has an opportune chance to play spoiler. Mizzou has been the unsuspecting team all season and still, no one is expecting them to win on Saturday. And let’s remember, the Tigers are still not out of the BCS picture. A Mizzou win and Ohio State loss would send the Tigers to Pasadena.
The Missouri football team advanced to the SEC Championship by beating Texas A&M on Saturday.
