What can you learn from a football game when your favorite Tigers beat their G5 opponent so bad that it essentially turned them into an FCS squad?
The answer: not much. Other than your team is very good!
And while there’s an absolute value to that this game was over so fast that it quickly became a game of “don’t get hurt, don’t show anything, end this quickly”. And, yeah, Mizzou did that.
So what can you learn? Missouri is talented and ready for the SEC. That’s pretty good!
But we’ll do the usual deep
dive into this game anyway.
I mean…that’s why you’re here, right? It’s certainly why I’m here! Let’s go:
Just a whole lotta numbers telling you that Missouri took care of business and didn’t even give the Cajuns a chance to be competitive. The best stat, for my money, is the “number of plays” comparison: 85 to 36. Missouri ran more offensive plays against Louisiana than Louisiana and kansas ran against Missouri combined. Corey Batoon’s boys are going to be well rested and ready for South Carolina!
When Missouri Has the Ball
Every offensive player who was healthy and available played in this game. I think that’s about as much information you need about the offensive performance from Saturday.
Run The Dang Ball
Goal: 46% rushing success rate
Actual: 61.0% rushing success rate
Winner: Missouri
Matriculate!
Goal: 48% overall success rate
Actual: 58.8% overall success rate
Winner: Missouri
Finish Your Dang Drives
Goal: 5.0 points per scoring opportunity
Actual: 5.8 points per scoring opportunity
Winner: Missouri
When Louisiana Has The Ball
62.7% of Louisiana’s offensive yards were gained on one single play. Outside of that play they ran 36 plays for 36 yards. Lmao.
Eliminate The Run
Goal: Rushing success rate under 41%
Actual: 25.0% rushing success rate
Winner: Missouri
Attack the Left Side of the Line
Goal: At least a 20% havoc rate from the defensive line
Actual: 27.3% havoc rate from the defensive line
Winner: Missouri
The Little Things
Missouri won in the Little Things and in demerits. Also: hello again, former-Missouri-Tiger-offensive-lineman J’Marion Gooch! Hope you’re having fun at your new school!
Extra Points
This game went into “garbage time” the second that the ball was kicked off to start the second half so nothing that occurred after half time will count towards any advanced analytical data. Still, Missouri shot out of the gates with their best stuff hitting early and often, then backed off once it was clear Louisiana was outmatched and max effort wasn’t needed. I choose to see it as a good thing that both the 2s in the 3rd quarter and 3s in the 4th were still clearly better than their opponent.
Missouri: “We’ll move the ball whenever we want and have success no matter what!
Louisiana: /vague drowning noises
Missouri: “Hey man, is your controller broken or something? We can restart if you want.”
Louisiana: “ATTENTION: YOUR PEER HAS CONCEDED THE GAME”
Last year, Nate Noel converted 8 first downs against South Carolina, the highest amount of 1st-down conversions that a single Missouri player was credited for all year.
Against Louisiana, Ahmad Hardy converted 11 1st-downs. He currently has 21 on the year, which would have ranked 4th in last year’s first down conversion chart…at the end of the year. And we’re only at Week 4 for this year.
Conclusion
Missouri is good, Louisiana is bad, and it’s time to gear up against a wounded South Carolina that is going to be motivated to win. Let’s get it done.
