Saturday, October 21, 2023 South Carolina vs. Missouri (NCAAF) - 3:30 PM EDT Premium Pick Pick: Point Spread: +7.5/-110 South Carolina Rating: 7* Mike's CFB Mid-Afternooner (LOSS) We were on the "Beam It Up Shaner" squad last week @ the right number & that's where we'll go back just 1 more time. I love when the Cocks' come in under-achieving (and they are @ 2-4) AND go on the road to take on a team that SHOULD (and I use that term lightly) take care of business in HC Eliah Drinkwitz & his 6-1 SU Missouri Tigers. This far, these Tigers took on more than a few cream puffs along the way (South Dakota, Middle Tennessee, Memphis & Vanderbilt. They hung with LSU for awhile but couldn't get the job done with the game on the line in the end in a 49-39 loss @ home. On paper, it looks like the Tigers have by far the best team on both sides of the ball by rankings. Yes, Big M QB Brady Cook has passed for an average of 365 yards per game over his last 5 contests. However, Missouri didn't play a GAUNTLET of heavyweights in North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi State, Tennessee & Florida like South Carolina did. I'm fully aware of history being on the Missouri side winning & covering the last 4. However, the last time @ this venue saw a very competitive game that was a barn-burning 31-28 Tigers' victory. Among other things, I love the fact that the distraction of taking on # 1 Georgia is immediately on deck for Missouri. My bottom line says the Gamecocks can SCORE as they just put up 39 on a tough Florida defense & accumulated 465 total yards. Let's start digging in & crunch some serious numbers that stare right @ SC. The Tigers have NOT fared well after Kentucky tussles as witnessed by a ticket-ripping 0-5 record spreadwise. It's not as good either in Game 8 of the season where Mizzou has gone a no-show-back-at-the-window 2-8 ATS. As I said earlier, Missouri has won the last 4 of this series. In QUAD-revenge games IF on the road, SC has put up a super-convincing 8-1 mark against the number. The DAGGER for us has to be the Cockaroni's record in their first of back-to-back road games. In that given situation, they've gone a perfect take-me-back-to-the-window 7-0 versus the spread. Even though SC has faced a gauntlet of tough teams, they are only a - 49 in NET yards after the dust has cleared. Let's jet into Faurot Field @ Memorial Stadium in Columbia to play just 7 Stars on the SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS (buying to + 10 12 @ -180) & sprinkle a little pasta on the ML as my CFB Mid-Afternooner! QUICK NOTES: It was an excellent 7-0 run that finally came to an end. Saturday's defeat represented the first since September 9th as it was a tough road for the Gamecocks who experienced injuries on the offensive line (Spencer Rattler proceeded to get sacked 6 times) & lost their best WR to injury in Xavier Leggette. Leggette was injured on a kickoff return early in the 2nd quarter that changed the whole complexion of the game. The Tigers ran the ball 41 times & chewed up the clock most of the last 3 quarters to get the "W". Mike Handzelek's 2023-24 CFB Overall Seasonal Record: 8-3 for 73% + 1,130 units