COLUMBIA – No. 6 Missouri reached rarified air this week. The Tigers, after all, haven’t been ranked this high in the Associated Press poll since 2013.
And the Tigers (2-0) will have a chance to validate that standing when they host No. 24 Boston College (2-0) on Saturday in Missouri.
Meanwhile, the Eagles upset then-No. 10 Florida State 28-13 on the road in head coach Bill O’Brien’s Boston College debut. Then they handled Duquesne 56-0 at home, which vaulted them into the AP Top 25 for the first time since the 2018 season.
“I think it’s great for BC, but really that’s not our focus at all,” O’Brien said. “It’s really about one day at time, really trying to get better.”
Missouri has rolled up 1,007 yards in its blowout victories while emptying the bench in both games.
Quarterback Brady Cook is 48-of-67 passing for 456 yards and a touchdown, and he has rushed for 84 yards and three touchdowns. Missouri alternates running backs Nate Noel (121 yards, two touchdowns on 23 carries) and Marcus Carroll (97 yards, one touchdown, 18 carries).
Preseason all-America wide receiver Luther Burden III has been quiet, catching seven passes for 64 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 21 yards and a TD in two games. He was limited by illness against Buffalo.
Wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. became Cook’s main target while catching 13 passes for 149 yards against the Bulls.
“Quarterback Brady Cook — very, very good player, can throw and run, two really good running backs and very, very good at wide receiver,” O’Brien said of the upcoming opponent. “At least three or four of them can play in the NFL. So we have a big challenge ahead of us, big, big challenge.”
While Missouri was unable to connect on deep passes during the first two weeks, coach Eli Drinkwitz wasn’t concerned.
“You’d rather be on ‘SportsCenter’ for that rather than for three yards and a cloud of dust or five-yard hitches,” he said. “But the reality of what we’re figuring out is that teams don’t really want to give up explosive plays versus our wide receiver corps. So, we have to be willing to make them defend us in a different manner.”
The Tigers could once again be without tight end Brett Norfleet, who suffered a shoulder injury in the opener and sat out Week 2. Guard Cam’Ron Johnson could return after sitting out the Buffalo game following an injury in practice.
Drinkwitz also wants to see his offense cut down on the offensive penalties. The Tigers had 17 in two games.
“Alignment penalties are embarrassing and that’s on me as head coach,” Drinkwitz said. “The holding penalties. We’ve got to learn to let go. When the ball is out-leveraged, just when a defender is broken away, we cannot continue to engage with the jersey of the defender. There were three of those that were clear calls, easy calls that are something that we have to correct.”
Boston College’s dual-threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos has completed 19 of his 26 pass attempts for 340 yards and six touchdowns. He has run for 81 yards and a TD.
The Eagles have rushed for 569 yards and five touchdowns in two games, led by Treshaun Ward (132 yards on 20 carries), Kyle Robichaux (112 yards, 25 carries) and Turbo Richard (102 yards on 19 carries).
Offensive tackle Logan Taylor returned to action after missing the first game and helped the unit dominate against Duquesne.
“Great to have him back,” O’Brien said. “Tough guy, big guy, athletic guy, very important to have him back. He’s my type of guy.”
–Field Level Media