Missouri vs Army: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl prediction, game preview, how to watch
Missouri vs Army: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl How To Watch
Date: Wednesday, December 22
Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
How To Watch: ESPN, Live stream on ESPN+
Records: Army (8-4), Missouri (6-6)
Missouri vs Army Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Preview
– Normally in bowl games you always assume the SEC team will take out the non-Power Five team just on talent, resources, depth, the lines, and all the things that come with being an SEC team.
Army and its style erases all of that.
– The Black Knights once again proved they can be dangerous against just about anyone. They ran on Wake Forest, they ran on Wisconsin – at least enough to keep that close late – and they ran all over everyone else with the option ground attack that owns the time of possession battle, keeps the chains moving, and frustrates every strong defense that thinks it can hit the curveball.
– However, there’s no letdown happening from a Missouri team that had to scratch and claw to get here and improved as the season went on.
For the first two months of the season the Tigers beat the teams they were supposed to beat, lost to the teams they were supposed lose to, and then came the back-to-back home wins over South Carolina and Florida to finally get something positive under head coach Eliah Drinkwitz.
– Statistically, the Missouri run defense was the worst in the SEC, but it rose up in November and was far, far better. Now it’s dealing with something completely different.
Why Missouri, Army Will Win
Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
Armed Forces Bowl Top Players To Know
NEXT: Why Missouri Will Win, Why Army Will Win, Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Prediction
Why Army Will Win The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Missouri’s able to adapt and adjust to get stronger against the run over the final month of the season – it came at the expense of the pass defense, but that’s for later. However, the defense still wasn’t a rock.
Give credit for stuffing Florida’s rushing attack, but it’s going to struggle with an Army team that should control the game even if it doesn’t tear off 300 yards on the ground.
Even with the problems in the loss to Navy, and despite the midseason run of losses, Army was still able to go on marches as it finished the season second in the nation behind Air Force in time of possession. Missouri is going to have to be patient, and that might be tough.
Missouri doesn’t do much with its downfield passing game and it would prefer to run and grind a bit, too. There should be a little bit of panic, though, if things don’t go well early on.
Forget the run defense for a moment – the Tigers were the worst in the SEC at third down D. Army will be set up with a whole slew of 3rd-and-3s, and it’ll covert on a bunch of 4th-and-2s as well.
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Why Missouri Will Win The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Missouri isn’t UMass.
It was the same analysis and concern before the Navy game. Navy didn’t face a Big Ten East-caliber schedule, but there wasn’t a whole lot of low-level fluff – high-level fluff is delicious, by the way – on the slate. Army played some big teams – and lost. It also fattened up on UConn, UMass, Bucknell, and a whole lot of Group of Five programs.
To be fair, it beat a bunch of bowl teams.
Meanwhile, Missouri played ten bowl teams and dealt with the SEC.
Of course, Army takes the snobbery out of even the best of powerhouse programs, but Missouri does have the defensive front to hold up, and it’s got the speed, athleticism, and time to prepare needed to deal with what’s coming.
Offensively, it should be able to hit on a whole slew of midrange throws. WKU and its high-powered passing offense nailed Army for 435 yards, Wake Forest went for 458, and Malik Willis and Liberty went for 305.
Army was able to beat WKU and Liberty, but its last win over a Power Five school was over Wake Forest in October of 2016.
Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Missouri vs Army Prediction, Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl History
Missouri vs Army: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, What’s Going To Happen
Army will push Missouri very, very hard.
As much as the Tigers might have prepared, and for all the talent and skill, they’re still not going to be able to take control of the game as the clock rolls on on Black Knight drive after Black Knight drive.
However, after a rough first quarter the Missouri passing game will settle in as the team takes the lead, but the defense will have to hold on late to get out alive.
Army’s passing game will have misfire when it needs that one completion to keep everything going.
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Missouri vs Army Prediction, Lines
Missouri 27, Army 21
Line: Army -4, o/u: 58
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
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Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl History
Dec. 31, 2020 Mississippi State 28, Tulsa 26
Jan. 4, 2020 Tulane 30, Southern Miss 13
Dec. 22, 2018 Army 70, Houston 14
Dec. 23, 2017 Army 42, San Diego State 35
Dec. 23, 2016 Louisiana Tech 48, Navy 45
Dec. 29, 2015 California 55 Air Force 36
Jan. 2, 2015 Houston 35 Pittsburgh 34
Dec. 30, 2013 Navy 24 Middle Tennessee 6
Dec. 29, 2012 Rice 33 Air Force 14
Dec. 30, 2011 BYU 24 Tulsa 21
Dec. 30, 2010 Army 16 SMU 14
Dec. 31, 2009 Air Force 47 Houston 20
Dec. 31, 2008 Houston 34 Air Force 28
Dec. 31, 2007 California 42 Air Force 36
Dec. 23, 2006 Utah 25 Tulsa 13
Dec. 23, 2005 Kansas 42 Houston 13
Dec. 23, 2004 Cincinnati 32 Marshall 14
Dec. 23, 2003 Boise State 34 TCU 31
Missouri vs Army Preview
Why Missouri, Army Will Win
Armed Forces Bowl Top Players To Know
