No. 5 Tennessee welcomes Missouri to Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday as the Volunteers look to get back on the winning track following their devastating defeat to No. 1 Georgia last week. The Tigers are just 4-5, but all four of their SEC losses have come by a touchdown or less, and they proved in a near-upset of Georgia earlier this season that they can compete with anyone.
With Mizzou needing to win two of its final three games to reach bowl eligibility, it should be plenty motivated to put its improved defense on display in a showcase spot on CBS. Tennessee crushed the Tigers 62-24 last season while racking up 683 yards, including an eye-popping 458 yards rushing. It was a breakout performance for the Volunteers as it marked the program's first SEC victory under coach Josh Heupel.
This Missouri team should offer much more resistance, however. After ranking 105th nationally in total defense last season, the Tigers rank 13th in that category this season through nine games under first-year coordinator Blake Baker. The Volunteers still have a shot at reaching the College Football Playoff even after last week's loss, but this is a must-win game that will require them to quickly flush last week's disappointing result.
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How to watch Tennessee vs. Missouri live
Date: Saturday, November 12 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Neyland Stadium -- Knoxville, Tennessee
TV: CBS | Live stream: CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App (Free)
Tennessee vs. Missouri: Need to know
Justifying his extension: News of a contract extension for third-year Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz landed just before the Tigers' 21-17 loss to Kentucky last week. After that loss, Drinkwitz is just 15-17 (10-14 SEC). His predecessor, Barry Odom, was 19-19 (10-14) through three seasons and was fired after going 6-6 in his fourth season. So far, Drinkwitz's trajectory is no better than Odom's, but he's now inked through the 2027 season anyway. The two-year extension was a bit confounding considering how unlikely it is that other schools are interested in hiring Drinkwitz. However, a road win over a top-five opponent would change the narrative of Drinkwitz's tenure and help justify the extension.
Tennessee's CFP path: Should Tennessee win its final three games, the Volunteers would be 11-1 with a strong résumé when the College Football Playoff's four-team field is announced on Dec. 4. But navigating this final stretch of the regular season with dominance could be key to their chances of making the playoff as they currently sit on the outside looking at the top four. Only twice in the CFP's eight-year history has someone other than Notre Dame made the field after not appearing in a conference title game. Those teams were Ohio State after the 2016 season and Alabama after the 2017 season. The Volunteers no longer control their own CFP destiny, but they could help their chances by reasserting with statistical dominance with a few wins that pass the proverbial "eye test" for what a championship contender is supposed to look like.
Hooker's Heisman hopes: A subplot to Tennessee's loss at Georgia is the toll the game took on Hendon Hooker's Heisman Trophy hopes. The redshirt senior quarterback completed a respectable 23 of 33 passes for 195 yards but threw his second interception of the season and was held without a touchdown after entering the game with 25 total touchdowns in Tennessee's first eight games. The performance didn't eliminate him from the running, but the Virginia Tech transfer could use a strong bounce-back performance to help his chances in the race. The Volunteers have produced four Heisman runner-ups over the course of program history but have never had a Heisman winner.
Tennessee vs. Missouri prediction, picks
Aside from a confounding 40-12 loss at Kansas State in Week 2, Missouri has been excellent defensively. Even in that game, the Tigers allowed just 336 total yards as they were hampered by a 4-to-1 deficit in turnover margin. The last seven games Missouri has played have finished within the confines of this spread, and the Tigers should be able to keep things respectable again here. Missouri is tied for 100th nationally in turnover margin, but that has to flip at some point. If the Tigers keep their turnover woes under control, they'll keep the game close. Prediction: Missouri +21
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