The Saturday night matchup between the Missouri Tigers and the Ole Miss Rebels marks the anticipated return of quarterback James Franklin. The starter has missed the past four games after injuring his shoulder in the win against the University of Georgia. The Tigers will try and get him warmed up and ready for a final push to get into the SEC Championship game in Atlanta.
The Tigers have remained on top of the SEC East rankings despite missing Franklin for a chunk of the season. Now at 9-1, the Tigers could head to Atlanta just a year after starting play in the SEC. Behind them, the South Carolina Gamecocks need the Tigers to get upset just once to secure their birth to Atlanta. Missouri ends their season by facing Texas A&M so the SEC East is still considered up for grabs.
Prior to getting injured, Franklin was putting together a very impressive senior year. He had totaled up 1,577 yards and 14 touchdowns and three interceptions before the Oct. 12 shoulder injury. He saw action in two series against Kentucky but did not throw the ball at all.
Ole Miss certainly presents a challenge for the Tigers. The Rebels have already upset the LSU Tigers and are looking to put another big upset on their resume. DUring a four-game win streak, the Rebels totaled up 42.8 points per game while topping 500 yards of total offense in each game. They have played well against the top teams in the SEC despite getting shutout by Alabama in September.
Running back Jeff Scott returns fully healthy for the game. He had missed three games with a thigh injury before returning in limited action against Troy. In his first five games, Scott put up 424 yards prior to getting hurt. The Tigers have the second-best rushing defense in the SEC and will aim to challenge the top back.
Missouri has given up a majority of their points through the air. Quarterback Bo Wallace is fifth in the NCAA with 266.4 passing yards per game. The game could easily turn into a big shoot out.
