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Missouri Hosts Nebraska to Kick Off Big 12 Football Schedule
Cornhuskers -3.5 Point Road Favorites
10/8/09
Both Missouri and Nebraska are off to a very good start this season. Nebraska is 3-1 on the year with their lone loss coming to a very good Virginia Tech team on the road. They gave their selves every opportunity to win that ballgame, but gave it up late in the 4th quarter. They had a nice tune up victory over Louisiana-Lafayette 55-0, and are looking to kick off their Big 12 season with a victory over a very good Missouri team.
Many football fans believed that Missouri was in for a rebuilding year after
losing their leader QB Chase Daniels, but Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert has been
even better than expected so far this year. Gabbert has thrown for over 1000
yards and 11 TD in 4 games. His most impressive stat though is he has yet to
throw an interception this year. He is making all the right decisions a QB
should make, and he has the Missouri faithful thinking BIG 12 North
Championship. A win over a very good Nebraska team will have them moving in the
right direction to achieve that goal.
NEBRASKA’S KEY TO VICTORY
We know both Missouri and Nebraska have high powered offenses, but Nebraska also
has a solid defense to go with that offense. Nebraska is leading the Big 12 in
scoring defense only allowing 7 points per game. Even more important their pass
defense is 3rd in the Big 12 only allowing 170 yards per game. That kind of
defense is an offense’s best friend. Nebraska’s offense has been put in very
good situations by their defense, and if they are able to do the same against
Missouri and get Nebraska good field position this Nebraska offense will be very
tough to outscore. QB Zac Lee has been very efficient this season, and throw in
RB Roy Helu Jr. who ran for 169 yards against a very good Virginia Tech defense
and you have an offense that is very balanced in their attack. If Nebraska’s
defense is able to get some big stops early in the game and slow down the
Missouri offensive attack this Nebraska offense will be able to put up some big
numbers.
MISSOURI’S KEY TO VICTORY
This Missouri offense has been able to put up some big numbers this season.
Their passing game is ranked 4th in the pass happy Big 12 throwing for 310 yards
per game. QB Blaine Gabbert picked up where Chase Daniels left off and has
already thrown for over 1,000 yards and 11 TD’s this season. If Missouri is
going to keep their undefeated record intact this offense will have to continue
to have the same success it’s had. Gabbert is going to have to be on his A game
come Thursday because Nebraska has the best defense by far that they have seen
this whole year. Gabbert is averaging 310 yards passing per game, and Nebraska’s
defense is only allowing 170 yards per game, so something has to give. If
Missouri and QB Blaine Gabbert wins this battle then the Tigers will be in a
great position to win the ballgame, but if Nebraska’s secondary is able to win
this battle it will be a long night for this Missouri team.
THE FINAL VERDICT
This should be a great game to watch. Both of these offense’s are very good and
are capable of scoring from anywhere on the field. While watching both of these
offense’s will be the entertaining part of this matchup the game will be won or
lost on the defensive side of the ball. This Nebraska defense is very good, and
is very stingy in their pass defense. Gabbert is going to have to be on top of
his game Thursday night if this Missouri Tiger team is going to have success. If
he is able to be as effective as he has been thru 4 games Missouri will be in it
till the end, but if this Nebraska defense is able to get to Gabbert early and
often and not allow Gabbert to find his rhythm.
This game opened up Missouri -2.5 at BeUS and has since been bet up to -3.5. We happen to agree with the move in this case. Both teams have played some cupcakes but Nebraska has looked more impressive against those cupcakes and almost upset Virginia Tech on the road. Nebraska -3.5
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