Biscuits Bowl Bonanza previews part II
Transfers and opt-outs are hampering Mizzou, but can they still take down Wake?
By: Bossman Slim, The Hammer, The Waco Kid
Mizzou heads to Tampa to take on Sam Hartman and the Demon Deacons (Photo via @MizzouFootball)
Yikes, Florida. The Gators got worked by Oregon State last Saturday, getting bowl season off to a rough start for the SEC. They were playing with a skeleton roster, but most people, including us, expected the Gators to give a better effort than that. 30-3? Come on.
Now it’s time to look ahead though to the Gasparilla Bowl. Before we do, let’s check in on the record after one game:
The Waco Kid went out on the limb and picked Florida to get a dub, which obviously didn’t happen. Bossman and Hammer went with conventional wisdom, but Vegas got the best of them just like it did Waco. Again…fade our gambling picks hard this year.
So what do the boys think the outlook is for Mizzou in the Gasparilla Bowl? Let’s find out.
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, Friday 12/23
Missouri vs Wake Forest - 6:30 ET on ESPN (Wake -2)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay
Bossman Slim: One W in the pocket, about to get another one here. As with many of these bowl games now, this one is tough to call because you have many key players not playing due to opt-out or entering the transfer portal. Mizzou lost their leading receiver Dominic Lovett to the portal as well as their fourth-leading receiver Tauskie Dove. They also lost a few key members on the defensive side of the ball to opt-out, including DL Isaiah McGuire (who led the team in sacks with seven), DL DJ Coleman (5.5 sacks) and DB Martez Manuel (50 total tackles)
As for Wake, they got welcome news when it was announced that Sam Hartman would be playing in the bowl game, but they are thin at running back as their second and third string backs opted to transfer, but much of their production on both sides of the ball will be on the field on Friday. So what to expect here? Wake Forest has been soft on defense much of the year which has been their Achilles heel. Opposing teams have hung 29.8 PPG on the Demon Deacons this season, and that number jumps to 33.8 PPG in ACC play. They are particularly susceptible through the air, giving up nearly 275 YPG on the season. The problem for Mizzou…? They’re missing Lovett and Dove and their top two defensive linemen. The offense will still have Luther Burden and Barrett Banister out there roaming around, but this offense hasn’t necessarily beat the band this year even at full strength, and with their defense operating without their two top sack leaders and one of their top DBs, I think it will be tough for them to stop Sam Hartman and a near-full strength Wake offense. Give me Wake to cover.
Wake Forest 31
Mizzou 21
The Hammer: I picked against Florida and the SEC in the first bowl game, and was proven correct. But now it’s time to put my SEC homer hat back on. Missouri is a solid team that competed in every game, losing multiple games right at the end that could have just as easily gone Mizzou’s way. Wake Forest is a good team, and Demon Deacon QB Sam Hartman intends to play in this game, so this could easily backfire. Hartman is second in all-time passing yards in ACC history, and he’s been the leader of that program for several years. Playing in his final game in the black and gold could mean an emotional effort from him and Wake Forest where the team balls out. That said, I trust the Mizzou defense to make life hard for Hartman and company. The Tiger defensive line has been great all year, and the long mesh point style of offense run by Wake can have issues when facing a disruptive defensive front. On offense, the Tigers will miss their leading receiver Dominic Lovett, who entered the transfer portal, but I think they can run on Wake Forest. Brady Cook has proven to be an effective runner, and he's been taking care of the football much better as of late. With Luther Burden being the focal point on the outside, I think Drinkwitz will have a few creative ways to get him touches. This game should be a back-and-forth game, but I’ll take Mizzou to find a way to win in the end.
Mizzou 31
Wake Forest 28
The Waco Kid: Mizzou has been one of those teams all season. One that is great when they are good but horrible on bad days. That’s what makes this one tough. I see a team that kept it close with the consensus #1 and likely back-to-back National Champion Georgia Bulldogs and beat a healthy, talented Arkansas team to end the year but also a team that lost to Kentucky, Florida, Auburn and barely beat Vandy by 3 points. The outcome of this game could literally change for the Tigers just based on which way the wind is blowing at specific times. And then on the other side, you have a Wake Forest team who has lost five games by an average of 9.4 points, including losses to Clemson, Louisville, NC State, and North Carolina. All teams playing in bowl games. On top of that, quarterback Sam Hartman has thrown for almost 3,500 yards and 35 TDs this year to only 11 interceptions. I think if anything the Demon Deacons far outrank Mizzou in the QB area. So who to choose? An elite quarterback or a team that plays stiff competition and has proven they can hang with the nation's top talent. I’m leaning toward Missouri in this matchup. That defensive line is nasty at times and has a knack for getting to the passer. That should be enough to disrupt Hartman’s rhythm and hold the opposing offense to 24 or under. Even with an anemic offense, I think Brady Cook came into his own against Arkansas and will ride that high through the postseason. That and I do not see WF having an answer for the rushing attack of the Tigers. Mizzou covers and gets the upset.
Mizzou 31
Wake Forest 24