Missouri visits South Carolina following bye week
Missouri exits its bye week to continue the most daunting three-game stretch on its schedule as it travels to South Carolina on Saturday.
The Tigers suffered their first loss of the season, 43-29 to No. 2 Georgia on Sept. 22 at home, and will face top-ranked Alabama next Saturday.
Facing such a tough string of conference opponents, the Tigers utilized their off week to rest, recover, but also to prepare for their first conference road test.
Missouri has lost its last two games against South Carolina, and has only won one game in Brice-Williams Stadium, narrowly edging the Gamecocks 21-20 on Sept. 27, 2014, on its way to an SEC divisional title.
In addition to preparing a detailed game plan for South Carolina, Missouri coach Barry Odom is also preparing his team for the intensity of the electric road environment it will face Saturday.
“The thing that you’ve got to do now as a coach on leading a group into there into an environment like that is making sure the preparation is done,” Odom said Tuesday.
“But also, make them aware of what they’re stepping into. And then, go handle it on the communication and going on and executing. When you’re prepared and do the things you need to, it doesn’t matter when, where, how and who you’re playing.”
Missouri quarterback Drew Lock said the bye week helped the team fine-tune its game plan heading into such a crucial SEC matchup.
“It helps in just how you feel leaving a practice,” Lock said Tuesday. “It was a little more crisp today than probably a regular Tuesday would’ve been, so just gaining a little confidence going throughout practice this week is going to be big just to get us back on the right step.”
Both teams are coming off conference losses, as South Carolina lost to No. 17 Kentucky 24-10 last Saturday in Lexington. The Gamecocks are 1-2 in conference play, while the Tigers are 0-1 following the loss to Georgia.