Georgia @ Missouri preview
Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 12, 2013 ) Missouri 41, Georgia 26
Tenth-ranked Georgia is the popular favorite to claim the SEC East title, but the Bulldogs likely will have to beat defending division champion Missouri on the road Saturday to claim the crown. The 24th-ranked Tigers began their title defense with a 21-20 win at South Carolina two weeks ago and are coming off a much-needed bye week. The week off allowed some of Missouri's key injured players to heal, while Georgia will be without star running back Todd Gurley, who is suspended indefinitely.
The Bulldogs gave host Missouri a rude introduction to the SEC in 2012, but the Tigers returned the favor with a 42-26 win last year at Georgia en route to the division crown. The Tigers will avoid facing Gurley for the second straight year after the Heisman Trophy candidate was suspended pending an NCAA investigation, reportedly centering on whether Gurley received payment for autographs or the use of his likeness. Both teams have been short-handed at receiver but are getting closer to full strength with Missouri's Darius White (groin) and Jimmie Hunt (knee) expected to return after missing the South Carolina game and Georgia hoping to get Malcolm Mitchell and Justin Scott-Wesley more involved as they return from knee injuries.
TV: Noon ET, CBS. LINE: Georgia -3.
ABOUT GEORGIA (4-1, 2-1 SEC): With Gurley as the engine, the Bulldogs rank sixth in the nation in scoring offense (45 points per game) and 13th in rushing yards (288.8). They don't do much damage through the air, but first-year starter Hutson Mason has been efficient, completing better than 68 percent of his passes for 687 yards with seven TDs and three interceptions. The defense has been inconsistent, shutting out Clemson in the second half of the season opener but giving up big chunks through the air against South Carolina and Tennessee.
ABOUT MISSOURI (4-1, 1-0): The Tigers boast one of the top pass-rushing duos in the nation in defensive ends Shane Ray (SEC-best eight sacks) and Markus Golden (four sacks), but will need those bookends to focus more on containing the run this week, even with backup Nick Chubb carrying the load in Gurley's absence. Missouri also needs to get back to forcing turnovers — after recording nine takeaways in their first three games, the Tigers have failed to notch one in consecutive contests. The offense also stumbled the past two games but rebounded for two fourth-quarter scores against the Gamecocks.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Gurley ranks second in Georgia history in touchdowns (43), 100-yard rushing games (17), and all-purpose yards (4,148), trailing Herschel Walker in each category.
2. Missouri QB Maty Mauk's 14 passing TDs are tied for the second-most in the SEC behind Texas A&M's Kenny Hill (21).
3. Gurley's 35 rushing TDs are third on the Bulldogs' career list behind Walker (49) and Lars Tate (36), and his 3,147 rushing yards are third behind Walker (5,259) and Garrison Hearst (3,232).
PREDICTION: Missouri 27, Georgia 20