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Arkansas football looks to end season strong against Missouri

By Christian Candeloro

STARKVILLE, MS - NOVEMBER 17: Ty Storey #4 of the Arkansas Razorbacks rolls out for a pass in the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MS - NOVEMBER 17: Ty Storey #4 of the Arkansas Razorbacks rolls out for a pass in the first half of a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium on November 17, 2018 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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Two teams trending in completely opposite directions clash on Friday as Arkansas football and Missouri are looking to end the season strong.

After losing a heart-breaking (and controversial) game to Kentucky on an untimed down, the Missouri Tigers season was trending downward quickly. The team sat at 0-4 in the SEC and 4-4 overall, and with No. 11 Florida upcoming, it was fair to wonder if the Tigers would even make a bowl game.

Fast forward to the end of November and Missouri is a team that no one wants to play. The Tigers dismantled Florida on the road, and then followed it up with wins over Vanderbilt and Tennessee. A regular season that seemed lost now has a chance to finish at a respectable 8-4.

The Tigers are led by quarterback Drew Lock, who has thrown for 2903 yards and 23 touchdowns this season, and running back Larry Rountree, who has the chance to eclipse the 1000 yard mark on the season on Friday (he needs 107 yards).

For Arkansas, nothing this season has gone right. Its only wins have come against Eastern Illinois and Tulsa. The Razorbacks don’t do anything particularly well, evidenced by a 106th ranked scoring offense and defense. It takes mad skill to be that bad.

This will probably be a blowout, but still the only ranked team playing in the same general time slot is No. 14 Texas playing Kansas, so this game could hold some intrigue, if only to watch the Missouri offense.

Here’s how you can watch Friday’s Missouri vs Arkansas game:

Date: Friday, Nov. 23
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Venue: Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBS Sports or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

For Missouri, starting fast will be a key. If the Tigers can get out ahead of the Razorbacks, chances are that Arkansas’ weak offense won’t be able to keep pace.

In addition, Arkansas has struggled all season with turnovers, if the Tigers can force Arkansas into mistakes, the game will turn very quickly.

For Arkansas, slowing down Lock is the key. If Lock can sit in the pocket all day and pick Arkansas apart, it will be a long day for the Razorbacks. They will need to hold Missouri back offensively to have a chance.

Betting Odds

Courtesy of OddsShark

Line: Mizzou -23.5
Over/Under: N/A

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Prediction

At a glance, there appears no chance that the Razorbacks can be competitive in this game. However, closer examination shows that Arkansas played Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and LSU tough before falling by one possession. This one stays close for about one quarter, but then Mizzou’s high-powered offense takes over. Lock throws for four touchdowns, taking over the game in the third quarter.

Final Score: Missouri 45, Arkansas 17

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