KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two teams with coaches new this season to the Southeastern Conference are set to clash Saturday when the Missouri Tigers travel to Mississippi State for the 2020 regular-season finale.
Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz's squad is 5-4, all in conference, which already is the most SEC wins for the program history since winning back-to-back SEC East titles with 7-1 records in 2013 and 2014.
A win to go 6-4 in the SEC also would represent the first time finishing above .500 in conference play since 2014.
Meanwhile, former Texas Tech and Washington State coach Mike Leach's Bulldogs are 2-7 this season, but remain dangerous.
“I think they’re playing their best football right now,” Drinkwitz said. “If you really watched their progression throughout the year, you can tell they are getting more and more comfortable in their scheme.”
Mississippi State ranks dead last in the SEC in rushing with only 209 for the season, an average of 23.2 yards per game. That's low even for Leach's pass-happy Air Raid style.
“We have to go out there and make some tweaks to what we do and rush the passer, affect the quarterback, hold up in our coverages and tackle in space,” Drinkwitz said.
