Game 4 Preview: Scouting the Missouri Tigers

Vanderbilt delivered an upper cut to South Carolina’s jaw with a 31-7 victory last weekend. Now, it’s time for the Gamecocks to get back up before they’re down for the count.

But a win over Missouri will by no means be an easy feat. A Mayor’s Cup victory in Columbia, Missouri, is something that has eluded South Carolina since 2017.

Before the contest kicks off at 7 p.m. on ESPN, here’s what the Tigers bring to the table.

Become part of The Insiders Forum with GamecockCentral. Start for $1 your first week, and get a complimentary year of The Athletic included with your membership.

How they got here

Missouri is one of nine SEC teams that has begun the 2025 campaign with a perfect 3-0 record. Saturday’s game will be the Tigers’ first against a conference opponent, though they have already faced off against a Power Four squad this season.

That game, against Kansas during Week 2, has served as Missouri’s toughest test of the campaign thus far. After scoring on their opening possession, the Tigers quickly found themselves down 21-6 by the end of the first quarter. But they responded right back, scoring 15 unanswered points in the second quarter and building an 11-point advantage by the time the clock ran down to zero.

Missouri’s 42-31 victory over the Jayhawks was sandwiched between matchups against FCS and Group of Five competition, respectively. The Tigers opened the campaign with a 61-6 win over Central Arkansas, during which starting quarterback Sam Horn suffered a season-ending injury on the opening snap of the game. Last weekend, Missouri dispatched Louisiana by a 52-10 score.

Last time out

The Tigers had been the Gamecocks’ kryptonite heading into last season. Regardless of whether the Mayor’s Cup was contested in the Palmetto State or the Show-Me State, Missouri seemed to always come out on top.

Both squads carried lengthy winning streaks into last year’s edition of the rivalry. The Tigers had won five straight matchups against the Gamecocks. South Carolina, meanwhile, had won their last three games against all opponents.

The Gamecocks’ streak ultimately prevailed, as they claimed a dramatic 34-30 win over Missouri. The celebration following Rocket Sanders‘ catch-and-run touchdown with 15 seconds remaining, which came less than a minute after Luther Burden III‘s score gave the away team a late lead, triggered earthquake sensors near Williams-Brice Stadium.

South Carolina’s victory also served as LaNorris Sellers‘ strongest individual performance of the season— and his career so far. All five of the Gamecocks’ touchdowns came from Sellers’ passes, and he completed 21 of his 29 attempts for 351 yards. He scrambled for an additional 45 yards on the ground.

Where they sit in the rankings

The Tigers are ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. Missouri is currently No. 23 in the AP poll after rising two spots from last week and receiving 292 votes. The USA Today Coaches poll pegged the Tigers as the No. 22 team in the country with 252 votes.

In ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI), Missouri ranked No. 12 with a 16.5 FPI. Their projected record is 8.7-3.4. The team has an 99.1 percent chance of winning six games, a 4.5 percent chance of winning the SEC and a 36.7 percent chance of reaching the College Football Playoff this season.

In ESPN’s SP+ rankings, the Tigers check in at No. 11 with a score of 19.5.

Missouri sits 14th in the Massey Ratings. It ranks 12th in offense and 25th in defense.

ESPN gives the Tigers an 80.3 percent chance to win this weekend. Missouri heads into the contest as 9.5-point favorites, according to ESPN BET Sportsbook.

Players to watch

Ahmad Hardy (Sophomore, running back) — Hardy has been putting up video game numbers in the early going. He currently leads the SEC with 462 rushing yards on 57 attempts (8.1 yards per carry) and is tied for second in the conference with five rushing touchdowns. Hardy, a UL Monroe transfer, is coming off an especially strong performance against the Ragin’ Cajuns, during which he recorded 250 rushing yards and three scores on 22 carries.

Beau Pribula (Graduate student, quarterback) — Pribula, a Penn State transfer, has been doing a fine job playing in relief of the injured Horn and starting for the first time in his collegiate career. He has completed 76.4 percent of his pass attempts (68-for-89) for 791 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. Pribula has demonstrated his ability to make plays with his legs as well, gaining 76 yards and adding three scores on 25 attempts.

Josiah Trotter (Redshirt sophomore, linebacker) — Trotter has been among the most disruptive forces on the Tigers’ defensive line. He leads all Missouri players in both tackles (15) and tackles for loss (5.0), two of which came against Louisiana. Trotter, a West Virginia transfer, also has family ties to the Gamecocks’ biggest rivals — his brother, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., previously played for Clemson and is now with the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL.

Path to victory

Given how well Hardy has been performing this season, stopping the run will be the South Carolina defense’s top priority. The Gamecocks are in the middle of the pack amongst SEC teams in run defense. They have surrendered 323 yards and two touchdowns on 108 attempts, good for a 2.9-yard average. For them to pull off an upset on the road, South Carolina will need to hold Hardy to well below his current yards-per-game mark of 154.

The biggest question the Gamecocks face, though, is on offense. Will Sellers be fit enough to play on Saturday, or will they have to rely on Luke Doty? Regardless of who’s under center, scoring some quick points will greatly increase their chances of coming home with a win. South Carolina won’t have the luxury of having a crowd backing them if the score gets close late in the contest, so it must make it a point to keep the Tigers on their heels.

It’s also worth mentioning that previous history won’t influence what happens during 60 minutes of on-field action. Just like in last year’s game, South Carolina will be given an opportunity to write their own Mayor’s Cup history this weekend.

Discuss South Carolina football on The Insiders Forum!