No. 9 Missouri is enjoying its best season in almost a decade, and the Tigers will look to keep their momentum going Friday with a road trip to cross-division SEC rival Arkansas. The Tigers may not be playing for a spot in the SEC Championship Game, but they are just one victory away from a 10-win regular season and a potential New Year's Six bowl berth. It's a breakout campaign for fourth-year coach Eli Drinkwitz, who had just 17 total wins in his first three seasons leading the Tigers.
Arkansas' outlook is drastically different. The Razorbacks currently sit at 4-7 on the year with just one win in SEC play. They started the year 2-0 and then lost their next six games, which cast some doubt on coach Sam Pittman's future with the program. This could mark the first time in Pittman's four years with the Razorbacks that they aren't selected for a bowl game.
Regardless, pride is on the line when these two teams face off on Black Friday. This will be the 15th installment in what's known as the "Battle Line Rivalry." Missouri and Arkansas first faced off in 1906 and, apart from the occasional regular season matchup over the next century, didn't see one another unless it was in the postseason. However, in 2014 -- a couple of years after Missouri joined the SEC -- the two were matched up as rivals given the shared state border and relative proximity between the two universities.
Follow along with LIVE updates as Missouri takes on Arkansas
How to watch Missouri vs. Arkansas live
Date: Friday, Nov. 24 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium -- Fayetteville, Arkansas
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime (Try It Free)
Missouri vs. Arkansas: Need to know
Arkansas sticking with Pittman: Athletic director Hunter Yurachek recently told players and staff that Arkansas is moving ahead with Pittman for the future. The Razorbacks are 2-1 in their last three games following a 2-6 start, including a big win on the road in Week 11 against Florida. At one point this game looked to have major implications for Pittman's future and his career. Now it just presents the program an opportunity to build momentum moving forward.
A lot on the line for Mizzou: Missouri, which is enjoying a resurgent season under fourth-year coach Eli Drinkwitz, has a lot on the line Saturday. The Arkansas game presents an opportunity to win 10 regular-season contests for the first time since 2014, when then-coach Gary Pinkel guided the Tigers to their second-straight SEC Championship Game appearance. Missouri is also within shouting distance of a New Year's Six bowl and, at this point, the Citrus Bowl seems like the absolute floor.
KJ Jefferson needs a big game: Missouri is going to score a lot of points, and the Tigers boast one of the best defensive fronts in the SEC. One place where the Tigers have struggled a bit this year is in pass defense. They surrender an average of 233.5 yards per game through the air, which ranks eighth in the SEC. Missouri has given up 250 yards passing in seven games so far this season. That would be good news for the Razorbacks if Jefferson were having the year most expected. He has shown flashes of brilliance, but inconsistency has plagued the veteran signal caller. He's failed to reach 200 yards passing in four out of Arkansas' last five games. Arkansas needs the best version of Jefferson if it wants to pull off the upset.
Missouri vs. Arkansas prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
Missouri shouldn't have too much trouble in this game. For starters, the Tigers should have the edge in terms of motivation. They've played with a chip on their shoulder all year, and this game matters for their postseason outlook. Arkansas is, for all intents and purposes, out of the bowl race. There's a path if the Razorbacks can win here, but it would require a lot of dominoes falling their way. Outside of that, Missouri boasts one key matchup advantage. Arkansas' rush defense gives up 145 yards per game, while the Tigers have Cody Schrader, a workhorse that might just be the best running back in the conference. Missouri should be able to wear Arkansas down and open up some big plays for breakout star quarterback Brady Cook. Pick: Missouri -7.5
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