After falling out of the College Football Playoff chase, No. 23 Missouri shifts its focus to earning the best possible bowl assignment.
That will be the motivation for the Tigers (7-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) when they visit Mississippi State (2-8, 0-6) Saturday in Starkville, Miss.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to finish strong,” quarterback Brady Cook said. “Two weeks left, let’s go get nine wins in the regular season, let’s finish strong and get to 10 with a bowl. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Cook came back from his wrist and ankle injuries last Saturday at South Carolina. He passed for 237 yards and a late go-ahead touchdown, but the Gamecocks pulled out a last-second 34-30 victory.
“He’s dealing with multiple injuries that aren’t fully recovered yet,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “But he’s choosing to play much like he did several years ago, which you’d expect, nonetheless, from Brady as a leader and a teammate.
“He can’t quite snap his wrist the way he needs to, which is why some of the balls get left short.”
Nate Noel got up to full speed for the Tigers, rushing for 150 yards and a touchdown. He had been slowed by a nagging foot injury.
Mississippi State has allowed 40-plus points four times this season but allowed just 13 second-half points to explosive Tennessee during a 33-14 road loss in their most recent game on Nov. 9.
The Bulldogs rushed for 179 yards with a 4.7 average in that game, with Davon Booth gaining 125 yards on 20 carries.
“They’ve been really effective running the football, really, the last four weeks,” Drinkwitz said.
Michael Van Buren Jr. has passed for 1,415 yards and nine touchdowns. But he has also thrown five interceptions and been sacked 22 times.
Missouri will focus much of its attention on Kevin Coleman Jr, who has caught 62 passes for 756 yards and five touchdowns.
“Dynamic wide receiver, really good route-runner, really good yards after catch,” Drinkwitz. “As challenging a wide receiver as there is in the SEC, in my opinion.”
Mississippi State still is in the early program-building stages with first-year coach Jeff Lebby.
“As we finish this up, they were part of laying the foundation in Year 1 and giving us the ability to build something to sustain,” Lebby said. “That’s why it’s so important to play our best is for these older guys.”
The Bulldogs had extra practice time during their bye week to prepare for the Tigers.
“We have an opportunity to finish the way we need to finish,” Lebby said. “Creating that vision and that understanding with these last two games on the schedule is an unbelievable opportunity. It’s a really good (Missouri) team at home this weekend. For us, that was the focus, handling what we have a chance to handle, and finding a way to play our best football of the year this Saturday.”
