#8 Missouri vs. #24 Ole Miss LIVE Radio Broadcast: Tigers Will Try To Sneak Into National Picture With Win Over Streaking Rebels
ByDon't forget about Mizzouri (9-1, 5-1). The eight ranked Tigers are in first place in the SEC East, but will likely need to win out because their only conference loss came to second place #11 South Carolina (8-2, 6-2), according to ESPN. If they do, and then beat the winner of the SEC West (either Alabama or Auburn), they'll have an outside shot at the national championship game -- should two of the other three undefeated teams lose (Ohio State, Baylor, and Florida State).
Missouri surely hasn't forgotten about #24 Ole Miss (7-3, 3-3), who've won their last four games, beginning with a 27-24 upset of LSU on Oct. 19. All three of the Rebels' losses have come to current top twelve teams all in the SEC (Alabama, Auburn, and Texas A&M), demonstrating just how good the conference has been again this year. SEC teams have combined for just seven out of conference losses the entire season.
The two play at 7:45 PM e.t. on ESPN.
The big story for Mizzou is the return of junior QB James Franklin, who's missed the last four games and whose absence may have cost them an undefeated season. Franklin was electric in 2011, mediocre in 2012, and has been spectacular in just six games this season, throwing for 1500 yards and 14 TDs against just three picks. To be fair, Freshman backup Maty Mauk has been nearly as good in his 4 game stint (10 TDs, 2 Ints) though he was less than ordinary in the loss to South Carolina (10-25, 249 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT).
"He looks really good. He looks just like he left off before the injury," Tigers coach Gary Pinkel said of Franklin. "He's excited about being back, and the team is excited about getting him back too. I obviously want him to do really well. He had some adversity and battled through it and we are excited to have him in."
Playing at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi with a weather forecast bordering on frigid, Missouri is favored by just 2.5 points. Oddsmakers clearly respect Ole Miss's recent win streak and their mostly respectable three losses (only the Alabama game wasn't close). The Rebels passing attacked, led by junior Bo Wallace (2600 yards, 17 TDs, 5 Ints), should be a tough matchup for Mizzou's conference-worse pass defense.
Search stations for live radio broadcast here.