The Morning Commute for October 14, 2024.

Welcome to the Morning Commute

Today we’re talking about polls. As we usually do on Monday morning.

I’ll preface this by once again emphasizing that they don’t matter. The only things that matter are (a) the number in the win column and (b) the number that the CFP committee gives you at the end of the year. That’s it.

BUT after last week’s marvelous fall from No. 9 to No. 21 in the Associated Press poll, it’s nice to see upward movement again, even if it’s slight.

It was yet another chaotic week for ranked teams, with a lot of good squads beating each other up. The Tigers, on the other hand, took advantage of a cushy trip to Amherst and are walking back home for a Homecoming game against a beleaguered Auburn team that looks to be at the tail end of the Hugh Freeze era. Win that game and things are looking a lot more rosy than they did a week ago.

As Sam said in yesterday’s Pourover, the only thing the Tigers can do is control what’s in front of them. And what’s in front of them is a limping SEC powerhouse that’s available for the taking. Time to wrap up HoCo in style.

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Yesterday at Rock M and Rock M+

• In which Karen offers another week of the Rock M Digest:

There are two— count em, TWO — episodes of my podcast, Majority Rules, now available. First, in this very special extra episode, special guest Nate Salsman and I delight in the Helen Hu return announcement. Join us for 45 minutes of utter joy.

They’re not saying, “boo,” they’re saying, “Huuuuuuuuuuu.”

• In which Hurst celebrates the running game sans Nate Noel:

It became obvious early in the game that Nate Noel wasn’t going to play, as Marcus Carroll, Jamal Roberts and Kewan Lacy all got carries in the first 20 minutes of the game. Come to find out he had some back tightness and was unable to loosen up to play. His absence was no problem for the Tiger running game as they wracked up 231 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, three of which went to Carroll.

Fascinated to see how quickly Kewan Lacy got involved. He was getting first quarter carries!

• In which Sam encourages everyone to breathe after Mizzou took care of business:

Eli Drinkwitz isn’t a perfect coach with a perfect football program. He’s a good coach with a good program. But even the best coaches and best teams have weeks where things get away from you. One of the things I really like about Drink is the 1-0 mentality. All you can do is control how you play one play at time, one series at a time, one game at a time. You can’t control what’s behind you, you can’t control what’s in front of you. You can only control what’s right here in this moment.

1-0 against Auburn. That’s the mentality.

• In which QC highlights the direct impact Corey Flagg, Jr., had on Mizzou’s first-half performance:

Although he couldn’t take the interception all the way to the end zone, the Miami transfer’s hurricane of a turnover put Mizzou at the UMass nine-yard line with nine seconds to go. Although Brady Cook was sacked on the next play, there was still time for Blake Craig to kick a field goal, which he did so successfully to complete a 10-point swing that stomped out any spark of a Minutemen revival.

I also appreciate that Corey always takes a chance to gas up his little brother in interviews.

• In which Chad lays out the opening spreads with some of his odd-servations:

11 am (ESPN) – Auburn at Mizzou (-7.0 / 51.5 total)

NoW – Who the hell knows anymore? Would any result here surprise you? The only thing I’ll go on the record as guaranteeing in this game is that it will be won by the Tigers…

I’d lay all of my money on that, Chad.

• In which Dylan chronicles Mizzou Soccer’s unfortunate game against Mississippi State:

This game marked the return of Tigers defender Rachel Kutella, but her expertise was only able to do so much to fend off the fearsome Bulldog offense. The Tigers were still shorthanded, left without Kylee Simmons for the third consecutive game. Midfielder Keegan Good took the reigns, taking two of Mizzou’s three shots throughout the match.

This tape goes in the trash, right?

• In which Matthew recaps Mizzou Volleyball’s 5-set win over Tennessee:

The Tigers played some of their best defense of the season during this time, winning multiple long rallies and getting several highlight-level plays from All-SEC libero Maya Sands. The team held Tennessee to a -.080 hitting percentage in the final frame, and Sands finished with 22 digs for the match.

“Unreal, right?,” asked head coach Dawn Sullivan. “I think they were to a point where they were like, ‘We’re not losing this game.’”

It’s a nice win as the Tigers prep for a potential bid in the NCAA Tournament.

• Over at Rock M+, we’re talking about the PFF grades from UMass, which offer quite a trick and a treat on the defensive side!

Rock M Radio: Before the Box Score was back!

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