Nov 83 min read

Rivalry Revisited: Missouri, Oklahoma Meet as SEC Foes

Missouri | Brady Cook, Quarterback — © Butch Dill-Imagn Images

The No. 24 Missouri Tigers (6-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) will face off against the Oklahoma Sooners (5-4, 1-4) in Memorial Stadium at 7:45 EST on Nov. 9 in Columbia, Mo. It will be the first meeting between the former Big 12 Conference rivals as members of the SEC, and the first matchup since 2011.

Missouri is coming out of a much-needed bye week after getting trounced by No. 11 Alabama (6-2, 3-2) 34-0. The Tigers have been bitten by the injury bug and hope that the week off has been one of healing.

Oklahoma's offense finally showed up, hanging 665 yards on the Maine Bears (4-5, 2-3 Colonial Athletic Association). Now, it is just Maine, but the Sooners hope it was the shot in the arm the offense needs to finish the season on a high note.

The Stakes

Mizzou sits in a jumbled middle of the pack in the SEC with two conference losses. The Tigers would need plenty of help to claw their way into a spot at the top of the conference, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. The Tigers would need to do their part and win out the rest of the season, and their chance to do so hinges strongly on their health. A host of Tigers were listed on the injury report earlier in the week, including quarterback Brady Cook and running back Nate Noel. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz has held Cook's availability status close to the chest. Missouri is the more talented team on paper, but if Cook doesn't play the advantage goes to Oklahoma. A loss to the Sooners will essentially end the Tigers' fragile pursuit of the SEC crown.

It hasn't been the dream first season in the SEC that the Sooners had hoped for. Oklahoma's defense has played well enough to fit into their new conference, but the offense has been playing catchup. The Sooners have dealt with their fair share of injuries on the offensive side of the ball, specifically at the receiver position. OU hopes the offensive explosion against Maine was the stimulus the offense needed to get right. If the offense can match the defense's level of play Oklahoma has a chance to be dangerous heading into the final weeks of the season. It may not have been the storybook beginning that the Sooner faithful had hoped for, but a win over a traditional Big 12 rival would be a bright spot to point to in 2024 as the team heads into 2025.

Oklahoma | Gracen Halton, DL — © BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Player to Watch: Missouri

Luther Burden III is one of the top receivers in the country and one of Mizzou's only healthy weapons. Burden has been arguably criminally underused in 2024, and only had 3 receptions on 4 targets against Alabama. The stat line against Alabama had a lot to do with Cook leaving the game, but if Mizzou wants to be successful they need to find a way to get Burden involved early regardless of who is playing quarterback.

Player to Watch: Oklahoma

Quarterback has been a rotation for the Sooners in 2024. Sophomore Jackson Arnold started the season before being replaced by freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. amid the Sooners' offensive inconsistencies. Hawkins didn't solve the problems for OU's offense, and Arnold was reinstated after Oklahoma fell to the No. 5 Texas Longhorns (7-1, 3-1). Arnold has played fairly well, but the offense continued to struggle until the game against Maine. If the Sooners are to get on track against SEC-level competition it will start with Arnold.

What to Watch

The season has not gone the way that either team had hoped it would. Mizzou is treading water, struggling to keep afloat in the conference. Cook's playing status will contribute greatly to their chances. If backup quarterback Drew Pyne plays in Cook's place, expect Oklahoma's elite defense to feast as Pyne has yet to throw a touchdown and has thrown 3 interceptions in his limited action.