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Tennessee football at Missouri: 10 keys to the game

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 28, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general fish eye view of the field before the game between the Missouri Tigers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general fish eye view of the field before the game between the Missouri Tigers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 5, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Keke Chism (6) runs against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Keke Chism (6) runs against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Missouri’s ability to spread the ball around

It’s no secret that the Tigers get by on an elite passing attack. They have the No. 12 ranked passing offense nationally, averaging 324.5 yards a game. By only averaging fewer than eight yards an attempt, though, they use the intermediate passing game to do it.

More importantly, though, Mizzou does this all by spreading the ball around. They have seven players with over 100 yards receiving on the year and none with over 200 yards. An eight player has 95 yards receiving, and nine different players have caught the 12 touchdown passes by the team on the year.

This all means that Tennessee football’s linebackers will be key to shutting down Mizzou’s offense. The safeties and nickels will also be crucial as well. There are tons of questions about the play at linebacker, but there’s reason to believe the utility defensive backs will be reliable.

As a result, it’s hard to know how the Vols will be able to handle the way Mizzou spreads the ball around in the intermediate passing game. However, this is the way Eli Drinkwitz’s offense operates, so UT will have to deal with this aspect more than anything else if it’s going to win this game on the road.

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