Preview: Mizzou vs. Indiana
Mizzou (3-0) closes out its 2014 non-conference slate this Saturday, September 20, as the Indiana Hoosiers (1-1) visit The ZOU.
Mizzou is 3-0 for the second consecutive season and for the ninth time since Head Coach Gary Pinkel’s arrival in 2001. Mizzou Football is 8-1 vs. Big Ten opponents under Pinkel.
Mizzou Football is coming off a 38-10 victory over the University of Central Florida in which the defense absolutely shut down the Knights offense in the second half. The Mizzou defense allowed just 134 yards on 40 UCF plays in the game’s final two quarters and limited the quarterback to 12-of-23 passing for 112 yards and two interceptions.
The three times the Knights made it into or near Mizzou territory in the second half, Mizzou forced a turnover. In all, the defense tallied four takeaways and six sacks, bringing their season sack total to 12, the third-highest in the nation.
Indiana comes into the contest after suffering a last-second 45-42 loss at the hands of Bowling Green.
Mizzou vs. Indiana in History
Saturday will mark the 11th meeting between Mizzou and Indiana in a series that dates all the way back to 1953. Mizzou emerged victorious in the first two meetings (14-7 in Bloomington and 20-14 in Columbia), but Indiana took the upper hand from 1985-1992, going 6-0-2 against the Tigers during that span. The last two games played in Columbia, in 1988 and 1991, ended in a tie.
After a 10-year hiatus in the series, Mizzou got back in the win column with a 45-28 win in Bloomington last season. Going into the game, both teams were ranked in the top 10 in the country in total offense, and as was expected, it as a back-and-forth shootout early. When it was all said and done, Mizzou rolled to a whopping 673 yards of total offense—the most ever at IU’s Memorial Stadium for an opponent.
“Indiana had a real battle with Bowling Green last week and certainly offensively they put on a show back-and-forth,” Head Coach Gary Pinkel said. “They are a very potent offensive football team and have one of the best running backs in the country. I believe he’s the highest-ranked yardage producer in the country right now. He’s a great player. They’re a good football team. We played them a year ago and we got them at The Zou, and we’re excited about the opportunity.
Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 3 p.m. CT, and will air on the SEC Network.
