Payton here, one of the OTF interns. For Missouri week I went through the position group matchups with the PFF numbers and the NCAA rankings, and this is the one where the two sides are strongest, so wanted to give it a breakdown.

The matchup that decides Saturday is up front. Texas has 26 sacks through eight games defensively, 7th in the country. Missouri has allowed 8, 13th fewest. Neither side has faced a unit at this level.

The run game splits similarly. Texas allows 2.8 yards per rush, 24th nationally, and grades 2nd in the SEC in run defense per PFF. Missouri's line is the best pass blocking unit in the SEC by PFF grade but grades 7th in run blocking, and the Tigers average 4.6 a carry, 53rd in the country.

So Missouri protects Austin Simmons well and but has been hit or miss moving people off the ball. The Tigers average 5.2 yards a carry with 9 rushing touchdowns in Columbia and 4.0 with 3 touchdowns on the road, including 39 yards on 26 carries at Ole Miss, where they posted their season-low in points with 3. The key here is to stop the run against Missouri, and Texas is at its best when it can slow the run game and then get home on the opposing teams’ passing downs.

One caveat on the Texas side: Colin Simmons is listed as questionable on the Thursday report. He has 10.5 of the 26 sacks. If he sits, expect more of the same; blitzing from Rasheem Biles, who has had success getting home this year amid Collin Simmons absence. That brings pressure, but it also pulls a linebacker out of coverage, and with Graceson Littleton and Kade Phillips questionable too, the question becomes whether the secondary can hold up on the back end while Texas sends extra rushers.

Does the Texas pass rush keep its pace against the best protection it has faced this year, or does Missouri's line change how this defense plays? And if Collin Simmons is out, can the secondary hold on the back end when Texas blitzes to replace him?

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by PaytonOTF

Good stuff Payton.

I for one think the pass rush keeps its pace.

Sure would be a lovely game to get colin back.

1 hour ago, Hank South said:

Good stuff Payton.

I for one think the pass rush keeps its pace.

Even if we don’t sack Simmons we need to do the same that we did for Chambliss and Sayin disrupt them and their timing. Gotta stuff them in the run game.