College GameDay skipped the No. 6 Missouri Tigers’ away game against No. 24 Boston College, but the panel spoke with Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz before the Tigers’ Week 3 game.

“They’re going to be tested in a completely different way today than they’ve been before,” Drinkwitz told the panel. “(Quarterback) Thomas Castellanos and that offensive line combined with their rushing attack are really going to test our guys today.”

Castellanos’ dual-threat quarterback skills pose a big challenge to Missouri’s stout defense, but the Tigers have yet to allow a single point in their first two games of the season. Since their Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State in 2023, Missouri has not allowed a single point in the last 11 quarters of play.

“What impressed me so much is our defensive play. It’s really not about one player, we rotate a lot of players. We rotate 22 to 24 players and they play to a standard. They play with tireless effort.”

Missouri’s defensive depth was a critical part of the team’s success. The team built it through transfers, bringing in several starters and key players to replace the top defensive players lost to the NFL.

“This is something new. This is a new team. We have 46 new players, we have new guys on defense and we don’t want to be compared to last year. We want to be compared to this year. We want to be our team, this team and a new this.”

Creating a new identity and integration has been one of the new challenges for the Missouri team, which was built on a strong culture and cohesion in 2023. Drinkwitz knows that it will take a focused effort from him and his coaching staff to shape that culture.

“The only thing that can separate you from your goals is yourself and the way you prepare for them each week.”

Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos is the focus of Missouri’s defense

How to watch: Boston College at Missouri; Full college football Week 3 schedule

Key fixtures for Missouri’s game against Boston College in Week 3