Every year is supposed to be Indiana’s rebound year under Kevin Wilson, and every year, the Hoosiers give an early season reason to disappoint. This year, it was a 45-42 loss to Bowling Green that sent expectations falling as the Hoosiers try to make it to bowl eligibility.
How to watch Indiana vs. Missouri: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
Can Indiana avoid another disappointing non-conference season? Is Missouri for real?
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Now, the road to an above-.500 non-conference record gets significantly tougher for Indiana, which will face last year’s SEC East champion Missouri. The Tigers were expected to take a drop back this season, but they’ve been all good so far behind quarterback Maty Mauk. Mizzou not only avoided potential upset attempts from Toledo and UCF — the Tigers blew those teams out.
Indiana poses an interesting threat to anyone it faces because of its high-powered offense, and the Tigers’ defense will get its toughest test yet. But can the Hoosiers finally get a big win? That will be much tougher.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 4 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
Radio: Tiger Network, Indiana radio
Online streaming: WatchESPN
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The numbers
Rankings and records: Missouri is 3-0 and ranked 18th in the AP Poll and 19th in the Coaches Poll. Indiana is 1-1 and unranked. Indiana holds a 6-3-2 lead in the series, as most of the games came during a dark time in Missouri football history: the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.
Vegas: Missouri opened as a 16-point favorite, but the line has dropped to 13.5 points. The over/under is 73.5.
Weather forecast: A chance of thunderstorms with a high of 85 and a low of 64.
Two things at stake
For Indiana to stay on the right track toward bowl eligibility this year, the Hoosiers need to win this game. Otherwise the seat might start to get hot for Wilson.
A win would keep Missouri going as a sleeper to defend its SEC East title. A loss would hurt the Tigers’ reputation badly, and probably for good reason.
One big matchup
Indiana's defense is not likely to stop Missouri's offense, so the Hoosiers' offense is going to have to keep up. This will be the fist major test for a Mizzou defense that played well against UCF and Toledo, but faces a much better offense in Indiana. The Tigers lost Kony Ely and Michael Sam and will now face a spread offense that will test their defensive front (though that group has been very good so far). If the defense can at least be mediocre, the Tigers will be fine. But if it struggles, Indiana could pull off the upset.
Further reading
Read Rock M Nation for more on Missouri and Crimson Quarry for more on Indiana.
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