COLUMBIA, MO. • With seven starters back from a Missouri defense that ranked among the nation’s best in most categories last year, the unit’s showing in Saturday’s opener raised the alarms and fears that were supposed to surround the offense this year.
The Tigers gave up 494 yards in the 26-11 loss at West Virginia, the most yardage for a Mizzou opponent since Alabama had 504 in the 2014 Southeastern Conference championship game. Sure, the Tigers managed three takeaways, but against a WVU offensive line missing two starters, MU’s usually destructive defensive line didn’t come up with a sack.