Missouri @ Iowa State preview
Jack Trice Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2009 ) Iowa State 24, Missouri 34
Iowa State welcomes No. 16 Missouri to Ames this week in the Cyclones’ last chance to become bowl eligible.
The Cyclones (5-6, 3-4 Big 12) have been the victim of a brutal schedule this year. They played on the road against Iowa, Oklahoma and Texas along with home games against Utah, Nebraska and now Missouri (8-2, 4-2).
All six opponents were ranked in the Top 20 at the time of the game.
Iowa State didn’t do themselves any favors last week, losing at Colorado 34-14. Now its path to a bowl game will have to go through Missouri, a team coming off a 38-28 win against Kansas State.
The Cyclones will face the Tigers without senior quarterback Austen Arnaud, a three-year starter. Arnaud suffered a knee injury against Colorado and has been ruled out for the year.
Sophomore Jerome Tiller will make his third start for the Cyclones. He started twice last year after Arnaud injured his hand and led the Cyclones to a 9-7 win at Nebraska. Filling in at Colorado last week, Tiller completed 12 of 19 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.
With a backup quarterback taking the snaps, Iowa State could rely heavily on running back Alexander Robinson. The senior has run for 848 yards and nine touchdowns this season. He had three straight 100-yard games before gaining just 22 yards on nine carries against Colorado.
Missouri junior quarterback Blaine Gabbert bounced back last week against Kansas State, passing for 208 yards passing and two touchdowns. He also ran for another 89 yards and a touchdown. Gabbert had a miserable performance the previous week in a 24-17 loss to Texas Tech, completing just 12 of 30 passes for 95 yards.
Gabbert has benefited from the emergence of two targets that played limited roles last season. Junior Michael Egnew leads all tight ends nationally in receptions this year with 71. The closest tight end to him is Iowa State senior Collin Franklin with 51 catches.
Egnew became the third Tiger in the last four years to be named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Tight End Award.
Sophomore wide receiver T.J. Moe is right behind Egnew with 70 receptions. Moe caught two touchdown passes against Kansas State and even ran the ball twice for 32 yards.
Look for the Tigers to try to get their backup quarterback, James Franklin, involved in the game as well. The freshman was brought in twice against Kansas State to run a quarterback draw. He had mixed success, gaining 17 yards on his first attempt and losing 5 yards on his second.
The Tigers will need the stars to align in order to have any shot at the Big 12 North title. The easier part of their task should be beating Iowa State and Kansas. However, since Nebraska beat Missouri, the Tigers need the Huskers to lose at Texas A&M this week and at home against Colorado next week.
The key to the Iowa State game could be how effective Missouri’s defense is at rattling Tiller. The Tigers lead the Big 12 with an average of three sacks per game, good enough for sixth nationally.
Missouri has won the last three meetings, including a 34-24 win in Columbia last year and a 52-20 win in Ames in 2008.