2011 Predictions & Game Story
Week 3 - WIU at Missouri
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Sept. 17 at Missouri 69 ... Western Illinois 0
CFN Analysis: COMING
(AP) COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Henry Josey rushed for three touchdowns and 263 yards while James Franklin threw for three scores as Missouri overwhelmed Western Illinois 69-0 on Saturday.
Missouri (2-1) set a school record with 744 yards of offense and tied a school record for most points scored while holding Western Illinois (1-2) to just one first down and 44 total yards. That outburst broke the previous record of 665 yards against Kansas in 1949.
The Tigers built a 42-0 halftime lead against the overmatched Leathernecks of the Football Championship Subdivision. Josey scored on rushes of 6, 21 and 68 yards, breaking his career high of 112 yards in the first quarter. He didn't play in the second half, missing a chance to top Devin West's school-record 319 yards against Kansas in 1998.
Wes Kemp caught two TDs for Missouri, and backup QB Jimmy Costello threw his first career touchdown in fourth-quarter mop-up duty.
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Western Illinois (1-1) vs. Missouri (1-1) Sept. 17, 7:00, FSN
Here’s The Deal … Missouri is licking its wounds after having a shot to beat Arizona State in regulation and losing an overtime heartbreaker, and with a trip to Oklahoma up next, it should be hard to keep the focus and the minds on a Leatherneck team that turned things around last year and is good enough to challenge for the Missouri Valley title this year.
WIU is undergoing a bit of a rebuilding job, and it showed in a lifeless loss to Sam Houston State to open the season. Last week’s win over Jacksonville was nice to get back on track, but next week is its Oklahoma game, going to Northern Iowa to play the best team in the league. This week getting its good run defense lathered up against an inconsistent Tiger attack is a must to keep this close, but the offense has to show up after having problems with its own consistency.
Mizzou had way too many issues on offense in the opener against Miami University, and it had way too many problems on defense against Arizona State, but this is still one of the most talented teams in the Big 12 and good enough to give OU a big push next week. First, the offense has to prove it can explode with quarterback James Franklin at the helm, while the disappointing pass defense could use a bit of a break.
Why Western Illinois Might Win: The Tigers can’t come up with a stop through the air. WIU quarterback Josh Hudson might not be a fringe NFL talent like MU’s Zac Dysert or Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler, but he leads the FCS in passing efficiency after two games connecting on 21-of-32 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns without a pick. The Mizzou secondary has had a nightmare of a time last week giving up 388 yards and four touchdowns to ASU allowing big play after big play, and WIU has the ability to hit the home run anywhere on the field, shown off last week with touchdown passes from 54, 24, and 53 yards out. The Leatherneck receivers are good running after the catch, but Hudson can push the ball deep, too.
Penalties have been a huge problems for the Tigers, committing nine in the opener and 11 last week. Arizona State did its part in the mistake-filled game, but Mizzou hurt itself time and again with big errors. WIU has to hope that Missouri continues to screw up. However …
Why Missouri Might Win: The Tigers aren’t giving the ball away. They lost one interception against Miami, but that’s been it so far. WIU came up with three interceptions against Jacksonville, and it doesn’t turn the ball over, but Mizzou isn’t likely to give the ball up enough to lose.
The WIU offensive line has had problems. It’s been okay for the ground game at times, but it’s been inconsistent and couldn’t get moving against Sam Houston State. The big problem has been in pass protection, giving up nine sacks in the first two games getting Hudson popped way too often. Missouri didn’t get enough pressure into the backfield against ASU, but even without Aldon Smith the talent is there up front to start doing far more. The deep plays WIU came up with last week aren’t going to be there against with the Tigers getting into the backfield on a regular basis.
What To Watch Out For: If there was any kicker in the country who could handle attempting a game-winning 48-yard kick with 12 seconds to play, it’s Missouri’s Grant Ressel. In 2009 he hit 26-of-27 field goals and connected on 17-of-19 shots last year missing a 37-yarder in the opener against Illinois and a 54-yarder against Nebraska. That was it. The former walk-on has a good leg and has been extremely clutch, but against ASU he missed a 54-yarder at the end of the first half to go along with the miss at the end of regulation. This game isn’t likely to come down to a last-second bomb, but it would be nice if he got back on the horse and had a big game before dealing with Oklahoma.
Missouri’s biggest problem is a lack of running game. Quarterback James Franklin has been it, with De’Vion Moore banged up and only running for 27 yards so far and Henry Josey only checking in with 137 yards in two games. Franklin is the only one with a rushing touchdown for a backfield with too much talent and too many options to not be far better.
What Will Happen: The Tigers haven’t looked strong enough this season to come out and simply blow away WIU just be showing up, but that’s what will happen. The offense will finally start to get the ground game going and Franklin will be brilliant in all phases as the game is put out of reach early on. WIU won’t have the offense to keep up.
CFN Prediction: Missouri 45 … Western Illinois 16
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