Murray State @ Missouri preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2006 ) Murray State 7, Missouri 47

Missouri is hoping that a different approach to preseason practice will help it to a better season, starting with Saturday's opener against Murray State. Tigers coach Gary Pinkel went for a less physical camp this season, hoping to avoid the slew of injuries that hurt Missouri in the early going in 2012. It seems to have worked, as the Tigers should be nearly at full strength for the opener.

Murray State will be looking to see if wide receiver Walter Powell can have the same kind of success with new quarterback Maikhail Miller as he had last year. Powell set school records with 94 catches for 1,213 yards. Miller, a sophomore transfer from Mississippi, has some big shoes to fill after the departure of three-year starter Casey Brockman.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: Missouri -38

ABOUT MURRAY STATE (2012: 5-6): Chris Hatcher is excited to start his fourth season as the Racers' coach, in part because of the top offensive weapon he has in Powell. With 17 starters back, Hatcher feels his team can make a major leap in the standings. “I think we've had a really good camp,” Hatcher told the Murray Ledger & Times. "It's a fun week. There really isn't a whole lot of pressure on us, it's one of those deals where we are going to go out, compete and do what we do best and see what happens."

ABOUT MISSOURI (2012: 5-7): Senior quarterback James Franklin is showing more confidence than in years past, when he struggled with injuries at times. “The biggest thing about James is you see comfort in his reads, comfort in what he's doing. He's got a real command,” offensive coordinator Josh Henson told the Columbia Daily Tribune. Franklin had 2,865 yards and 21 touchdowns passing and 981 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing as a sophomore before slumping to 1,562 yards and 10 touchdowns passing and 122 yards and no touchdowns rushing last season, when he played in nine games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Racers are 0-3 in season openers under coach Hatcher, with all three losses coming on the road against FBS opponents.

2. Missouri is 11-1 in season openers under coach Pinkel, including 11 straight wins.

3. This is just the second meeting between the two teams, with Missouri taking the previous matchup 47-7 in the 2006 season opener.

PREDICTION: Missouri 35, Murray State 14