No. 14 Missouri (7-1, 3-1) at No. 1 Georgia (8-0, 5-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
It’s hard to overshadow an LSU-Alabama game in any season, but the SEC spotlight will certainly shine brightest when the surprising Tigers get their shot in the Eastern Division race with a visit to the two-time defending national champions.
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Missouri has met almost every challenge behind quarterback Brady Cook, receiver Luther Burden III and tailback Cody Schrader to get within reach of the Bulldogs.
Cook has completed 70 percent of his passes this season with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. Schrader is second in SEC rushing (807 yards) and tied for the top with nine TDs on the ground.
Still, Georgia is Georgia and the Bulldogs won their 25th consecutive game with a 43-20 romp over rival Florida last weekend. The Dawgs certainly miss star tight end Brock Bowers, who is out for the season, but Carson Beck is completing 70% of his throws.
Missouri quarterback Brady Cook throws a pass during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game against South Carolina Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 34-12. Credit: AP/L.G. Patterson
BEST MATCHUP
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No. 13 LSU (6-2, 4-1) at No. 8 Alabama (7-1, 5-0), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (CBS).
This year’s edition of the marquee game is a chance for the Tigers to get a leg up and a head-to-head tiebreaker in the SEC West Division race.
Both teams are streaking and led by quarterbacks in solid form. LSU has won its past three games including a 49-39 comeback win over No. 14 Missouri to start things; Alabama has won its past five after falling at home to No. 7 Texas in September.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban walks to the Alabama student section to salute the fans postgame, a rare occurrence, after an NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Saban had asked for fans to be loud and help build momentum during his call-in show earlier in the week. Credit: AP/Vasha Hunt
Tigers passer Jayden Daniels has directed an offense that leads the country in points (47.4), total offense (552.9) and passing touchdowns (26). Jalen Milroe of Alabama leads the SEC and ranks third in the country at 16.33 yards per completion.
The Crimson Tide played closer-than-expected games in beating Texas A&M (26-20) and Arkansas (24-21) earlier in October before putting it on No. 19 Tennessee 34-20 last week.
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LONG SHOT
Vanderbilt hasn’t faced Auburn since 2016 and is a 12 1-2-point underdog at home, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, when the teams get together this week. The Commodores have fared well against the Tigers, with the series tied at 21-all. They had won two straight over Auburn before falling 23-16 seven years ago.
IMPACT PLAYER
Mississippi State linebacker Nathaniel Watson. Imagine where the Bulldogs defense might be without the graduate linebacker. Watson, who finished second in the SEC with 113 tackles a year ago, is second this season behind teammate Jett Johnson. Watson, at 6-foot-2, 245 pounds, leads the league with 7.5 sacks.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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Auburn has forced a turnover in 17 straight games, the most since an 18-game streak that ended in 2008. …. Texas A&M’s Tyreek Chappel and Josh DeBerry have helped the team give up the ninth fewest yards against the pass in the Power Five (73.1 yards a game). DeBerry has nine passes defended and Chappell five. … No. 11 Ole Miss has nine rushing TDs from tailback Quinshon Judkins and seven from quarterback Jaxson Dart. The Rebels are the only teammates in the SEC with at least seven TDs on the ground. … Due to injuries, South Carolina has used a different starting five on the offensive line each game this season. … Florida quarterback Graham Mertz has completed 75.9% of his passes (195-for-257), which leads the SEC and ranks third nationally. He’s thrown multiple TD passes in four straight games.
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The Missouri Tigers ended the 2024 season on a positive note, earning a victory in the Music City Bowl over Iowa, 27-24. While the on-field results were excellent this season, Eli Drinkwitz and his staff also found success on the recruiting trail, landing the No. 19 ranked class in the nation through the early signing period.
One of the Tigers’ 2025 signees, 4-Star wide receiver Donovan Olugbode, is set to participate in the annual Under Armour All-American Game on Thursday, January 2nd and showcase his talent against some of the nation’s best on national television.
The full team rosters can be found here.
Originally from Napierville, Illinois, Olugbode transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida for his senior season. He is ranked as a 4-star on all four major recruiting services, and composite ranked No. 89 in the country, No. 13 of all receivers and No. 12 of all players in Florida.
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Standing at 6-foot-2, 210 lbs., Olugbode is a bigger bodied target with a wide catch radius and the ability to push defenders around as a blocker. He only suited up in five games in his senior year, but still managed to haul in 20 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns.
The game can be seen on ESPN at 3:00 p.m. CT or can be streamed on the ESPN app.
Music City Bowl Ends One Era of Mizzou Football, Welcomes Another
Eli Drinkwitz Reflects on the Legacy Brady Cook Leaves at Mizzou
Mizzou Basketball Gets Back on Track, Wins Final Non-Conference Game
South Carolina Gamecocks (12-1) at Missouri Tigers (11-4)
Columbia, Missouri; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST
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BOTTOM LINE: Missouri hosts No. 2 South Carolina after Grace Slaughter scored 22 points in Missouri’s 90-51 victory over the Jackson State Tigers.
The Tigers have gone 9-2 at home. Missouri has a 0-1 record in one-possession games.
The Gamecocks have gone 1-1 away from home. South Carolina is fourth in the SEC allowing 54.5 points while holding opponents to 34.7% shooting.
Missouri averages 7.7 made 3-pointers per game, 1.7 more made shots than the 6.0 per game South Carolina allows. South Carolina scores 23.6 more points per game (81.5) than Missouri gives up (57.9).
The Tigers and Gamecocks meet Thursday for the first time in conference play this season.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Abbey Schreacke is shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc with 2.5 made 3-pointers per game for the Tigers, while averaging 10.5 points.
Chloe Kitts is averaging 9.4 points and 7.7 rebounds for the Gamecocks.
LAST 10 GAMES: Tigers: 8-2, averaging 80.6 points, 34.7 rebounds, 14.8 assists, 9.8 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 59.2 points per game.
Gamecocks: 9-1, averaging 82.8 points, 39.0 rebounds, 16.8 assists, 11.7 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 53.0 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KCTV) – A new minimum wage starts Wednesday in Missouri. Now, qualified employees will make $13.75 an hour, but this new wage is facing a legal challenge from some business groups.
Effective New Year’s Day, Missouri’s new minimum wage is $13.75 cents per hour.
In 2026, it will rise to $15 an hour, and then raise each year based on the Consumer Price Index. Voters approved this change when they passed Proposition A in November.
Kara Corches with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is concerned the raised minimum wage will lead to increased prices.
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“This would put Missouri as having the ninth highest minimum wage in the country,” Corches said. “We are not the ninth highest cost of living state. So we think that you’re actually going to be paying New York and California wages in Missouri.”
The Chamber filed a lawsuit in the Missouri Supreme Court to strike down Prop A. The Chamber was joined by the Associated Industries of Missouri, the Missouri Forest Products Association, the Missouri Grocers Association, the Missouri Restaurant Association, and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in filing the petition.
Since Prop A deals with minimum wage and paid sick leave, the lawsuit claims it violates the single-subject rule, which says Missouri laws should only cover one subject. The lawsuit is awaiting a ruling from the Supreme Court, but the new minimum wage is going into effect in the meantime.
Nestled in Downtown Columbia, Yellow Dog Bookshop sells new and used books. It’s a small business owned and operated by Joe Chevalier. Chevalier said he competes with large businesses for employees, which is why he wants to pay his employees as much as he can afford.
“Anything you make up by paying people less, you’re gonna lose by having to retrain the people often, because they’re gonna leave for better-paid jobs,” Chevalier said.
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For this reason – he supports the raise in Missouri’s minimum wage. Chevalier is not concerned about raising prices. He thinks more money in workers’ pockets will lead to more local spending.
“If we pay workers more, they’ll have more money to spend when you spend it locally,” Chevalier said.
The part that gives employees one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked starts in May. Employers are required to send out written notice to their employees about that paid sick time by April 15.
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