No. 24 Missouri (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) is set to face No. 23 South Carolina (6-3, 4-3) on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. EST, broadcasted by SEC Network.
According to BetMGM College Football odds, South Carolina is favored to win by 12.5 points.
In the historical series between the two teams, Missouri holds an edge with a record of 9 wins to 5 losses.
This matchup is crucial as South Carolina looks to maintain its momentum in the SEC, while Missouri fights to keep its hopes alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz has emphasized that a 10-2 record in the SEC should warrant inclusion in the upcoming 12-team playoff format.
Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are one of the league’s surging teams and could achieve only their second winning SEC record in the last 11 years with a victory this weekend.
A key battle in this game will be between Missouri quarterback Drew Pyne and the robust defensive line of South Carolina.
Pyne is anticipated to start for the Tigers, as the status of Brady Cook remains uncertain due to a hand injury he has been dealing with during the week.
In the six games he has participated in, Pyne has recorded three touchdowns alongside three interceptions.
South Carolina’s defense has been imposing, ranking second in the SEC with a total of 33 sacks this season.
There are several standout players to keep an eye on during this contest.
For Missouri, receiver Luther Burden III leads the team with 45 receptions for 505 yards, although he has not found the end zone since Week 4 against Vanderbilt.
On the other side, South Carolina defensive end Kyle Kennard shares the SEC lead with 9.5 sacks and tops the conference with 13.5 tackles for loss this season.
Kennard, a transfer from Georgia Tech, has been instrumental in a defense that ranks fourth in the SEC in points allowed.
In terms of stats, Missouri has won their last five encounters with South Carolina.
The Gamecocks have also turned things around recently, winning two consecutive games against Top 25 opponents after suffering eight straight losses to ranked teams.
Unfortunately for Missouri, they will be without starting center Connor Tollison, a high-round NFL prospect, who has been sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a leg injury.
Additionally, South Carolina’s running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders has impressed, registering over 100 rushing yards in his last two games, totaling three 100-yard performances this season and scoring half of his ten rushing touchdowns during the Gamecocks’ recent three-game winning streak.
Drew Pyne is coming off a strong performance where he rebounded from throwing three interceptions in a loss against Alabama by tossing three touchdowns in a victory against Oklahoma the following week.
Interestingly, both Missouri and South Carolina are based in the city of Columbia, leading to the teams competing for the Mayor’s Cup whenever they meet.