LSU-Ole Miss Film Festival Happening At Mizzou Before Its Game Vs. Troubled Tigers

Hopefully, the Missouri football coaching staff followed the former Blockbuster request: Be Kind And Rewind.

Because there is no telling how many times the Tigers' brain trust has watched and re-watched the Ole Miss game film from its 55-49 win over LSU last week. No. 21 Missouri (5-0, 1-0 SEC) hosts No. 23 and sliding LSU (3-2, 2-1 SEC) at noon Saturday.

Missouri Coaches Keep Watching LSU-Ole Miss Classic

Ole Miss' 706 yards were the most allowed in LSU football history. Quarterback Jaxson Dart completed 26 of 39 passes for 389 yards and four touchdowns. Running back Quinshon Judkins gained 177 yards on 33 carries. Running back Ulysses Bentley IV scored on a 43-yard run. Tre Harris caught eight passes for 153 yards with a 56-yard catch. Jordan Watkins caught another five for 103 with a 63-yard touchdown.

The Rebels' defense did not offer a lot to watch as LSU gained 637 yards itself. Until the Hollywood happy ending, that is.

"We get two stops, drive the field twice, score twice (at the end), no fluke plays, 700 plus yards, no turnovers, and win this game. So proud," Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said.

"I understand this is a legacy game for me," Dart said. "Will I ever forget it? Hell no, it was the funnest moment of my life."

Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz has Tigers 5-0 and off to their best start since 2013. (Getty Images)

Call it movie magic. And Missouri hopes to make life imitate art with a coach, Eli Drinkwitz, who is an offensive coordinator type like Kiffin, and a quarterback, Brady Cook, who is probably better than Dart.

Eli Drinkwitz Appreciates The Offense Ole Miss Showcased

"I think when you watch that game you realize, for me as an offensive coach, I have much more appreciation for the quarterback played," Drinkwitz said Wednesday on the SEC teleconference. "Dart played outstanding. Judkins played, I mean, as good as any running back in the country in the yards after contact. They have several running backs."

Drinkwitz sounds like a film buff.

"So, I think there was a lot of that game that was a special performance by Ole Miss as much as anything," he said.

Ya think?

Drinkwitz and his staff kept a close eye on what individuals played for LSU's defense and any substitution patterns.

"You look at it more based on the personnel that's involved," he said. "Some of the personnel that played earlier in the season is not there anymore."

And some may not be there Saturday, considering how some players performed. The number of missed tackles by LSU was alarming as were the amount of wide open spaces in the middle of defensive coordinator Matt House's unit.

"The later you get into the season, the more you develop into the identity you're going to have," Drinkwitz said.

LSU Defense Has Major Issues Entering Missouri Game

In perhaps a panic move, LSU coach Brian Kelly hired consultant Pete Jenkins, 82, this week to give House's defense a hard look. The Tigers are 114th in the nation in total defense with 429.4 yards allowed a game - 108th against the pass (260 yards) and 102nd against the run (169). Jenkins is a defensive line whisperer, if you will, and travels the country - usually in the off-season - visiting various college teams as a consultant. A former defensive line coach in the NFL with Philadelphia (2007-09), Jenkins has coached at four SEC schools (Florida, LSU three times, Mississippi State, Auburn) and at Oklahoma State and USC.

Jenkins has much to look at in a short time before trying to stop Missouri. Cook is No. 7 in the nation in passing efficiency at 187.7 on 105 completions in 141 attempts for 1,468 yards and 11 touchdowns with zero interceptions. Wide receiver Luther Burden is No. 1 in the nation with 644 receiving yards and No. 2 in receiving yards per game at 128.8.

LSU is a touchdown favorite over Missouri as its offense is among the best in the nation. Quarterback Jayden Daniels is No. 1 in the SEC and fourth nationally in efficiency at 193.4 on 117-of-160 passing for 1,710 yards and 16 touchdowns with two interceptions. The Tigers are No. 1 in the SEC and fourth nationally in total offense with 551 yards a game.

Missouri Tigers Off To Best Start In A Decade

Missouri is off to its best start in 10 years. The 2013 Tigers went 7-0 under coach Gary Pinkel before winning the SEC East and finishing 12-2 and 7-1.

Eli Drinkwitz has never won more than six games since becoming Missouri's coach before the 2020 season. He was 5-5 that year with a 45-41 upset of No. 17 and defending national champion LSU at Missouri. Two 6-7 seasons followed.

"We had the confidence in our players. I felt like we had good match-ups," Drinkwitz said of his thoughts going into the season.

The Tigers defeated No. 15 Kansas State, 30-27, on a 61-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis on Sept. 16.

"We're just trying to be where our feet are to be honest," Drinkwitz said. "I hadn't really looked back at the start or where we're at. We're at week six playing against a good opponent."

Drinkwitz is 2-1 against ranked opponents at Missouri since winning one of his first nine.