Josh Heupel stresses need to start fast against Missouri

Missouri and Tennessee are neck-and-neck in the SEC East standings entering the final quarter of the regular season. Both entering the matchup with identical records — the victor will likely secure the No. 2 spot in the division.

Vols head coach Josh Heupel is looking for a hot start from his team this weekend to set the tone for the rest of the game. If not, he’s prepared for an old-fashioned SEC slobber knocker.

“They (Missouri) have done a good job. They’ve started fast, in particular at home,” Heupel said. “We have to start fast in this one, too. At the same time, if it doesn’t (start fast), we have to play for 60 minutes. It’s a point of emphasis. We know the type of atmosphere it’s going to be and the type of football team we’re playing. We have to be dialed in for 60 (minutes). Every play can be the difference in the football game.”

Missouri has come out of the gates swinging in each of its last two matchups. It led South Carolina 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and scored a touchdown on its first drive last week against Georgia.

That’s not the only way Missouri has been able to win this season, either. They trailed Kentucky 14-0 entering the second quarter before rattling off 17 unanswered points before halftime. They ultimately defeated the then-ranked Wildcats 38-21 at Kroger Field and are still playing their best football of the season despite losing to the Bulldogs 30-21 this past weekend.

For the Vols, they’re looking to emulate the 59-3 victory they enjoyed last weekend against UConn. After the Huskies kicked a field goal in the first quarter, Tennessee scored 52 unanswered points themselves to round out the final three quarters and change. The week prior, Tennessee jumped out to a fast start against UK, unlike Mizzou, before going back and forth with the Wildcats in Lexington for the rest of the game.

While both teams haven’t been particularly consistent in the first quarter of games this season — both teams are certainly capable of jumping the gun and putting points on the board early.

The opening kickoff between the Vols and Tigers is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET live on CBS. Tennessee is a two-point betting favorite on the road, according to Vegas Insider. Vegas is also predicting an SEC shootout, setting the over/under total at 57.5 points.