Tim Tebow, Roman Harper explain why Mizzou is an exciting test for Georgia

Georgia hosts Missouri at 3:30 on Saturday in a matchup that will play a central role in deciding the SEC East. Yet after giving the Bulldogs fits in Columbia last year, SEC Network analysts Tim Tebow and Roman Harper aren’t using that as a blueprint for what might happen this weekend.

That is not to say that the Tigers don’t have a chance. Tebow thinks Georgia is the more complete team and likely to win, but can see how Missouri can get after the Bulldogs defense with Luther Burden at wideout and quarterback Brady Cook playing at a high level.

That, coupled with a strong running game, could cause problems for the home team.

“I think it’s hard to look back. I think this year, obviously is Georgia the more complete team? I think so. But, Missouri is such a scary team. You’ve got one of the best receivers in Luther Burden. Brady Cook is playing at an extremely high level. I love the scheme that they’re doing. They’re doing amazing things in the running game. They’re being aggressive, they’re taking shots. Their defense gets to the quarterback and so, is Georgia a more complete team? Yes. But Missouri’s a scary team to play because they’re so multiple, they put you in very hard situations. So it’s a very exciting game,” Tebow said on The Paul Finebaum Show.

Harper concurred on the offensive analysis, warning that if Missouri can find success in the running game handing the ball to Cody Schrader, things could get tight in Athens quickly.

“And if Missouri has any chance to run the football up front, watch out,” Harper said.

He also looked to the Missouri secondary to try and hold in check a Georgia passing attack that has begun to blossom with Carson Beck at the helm — even sans Brock Bowers.

“I don’t think, I know Missouri’s secondary is one of the best secondaries that Georgia is going to face all year long. And this Georgia team is not the Georgia team we always imagined them to be which is just this big, run-first team that’s going physically body you. Can they do that? Yes, but that’s not how they have shown to be able to do it this year. They want to throw the football and Carson Beck, whose arm strength and his ability to complete passes and do it that way, makes this Georgia team a little bit different. I would be looking at the secondary of Missouri versus Georgia’s pass game all day long. Because that’s going to be the determining factor,” Harper said.