Back to Atlanta, Part 1: Mizzou underdog in SEC matchup
Missouri is not letting the number of being the underdog get to them.
Players said they’re used to being in this position. Slowly, but surely, they said they’re working to make a name for themselves nationally.
Mizzou is playing for the second conference title in back to back years.
Despite the success, Mizzou is still missing on the radar of notable college football teams around the country.
“Now we have to dial it up just a little bit more knowing that we are going to play for the SEC Championship,” said MU wide receiver Jimmie Hunt.
Missouri has gone 45 years without a conference title.
Tomorrow, they’re trying to make history.
In the three years Missouri has been in the SEC, they’ve been in more SEC Championship games than Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky combined.
Players on the team said the lack of respect fuels their fire.
“People still don’t respect us because of some of the losses we had, but any team can be beaten any day, it’s just how you execute,” said MU defensive back Aarion Penton.
Creating the doubt in people’s minds are those two losses, one to a 4 and 8 Indiana team.
The second being shut out by Georgia, and both games at home.
Since then, the Tigers won 6 straight games, earning them a chance to compete this weekend.
“We’ve won a lot of games this year and still aren’t respected,” said Murphy.
Hunt said, “Everyone doubts us. They said we are up and down on our offense. We say we have a great defense which is true, but our defense struggles. They probably say we are up and down on the kicking game but thats all right. Our main goal is to focus, finish what we’ve been doing these last six games, stay dialed in and do what we’ve been doing in the 4th quarter.
Kentrell Brothers, MU linebacker, said,”A lot of teams have overlooked us. A lof of people have referred to us as underdogs, which we don’t really mind that role at all.”
Murphy said, “The only way to get their respect is by winning a championship because if you are the champion, they have to respect you. But we aren’t focusing on respect that much, we’re trying to win.”
