With an apparent return to normal on the horizon, Central Michigan's football team will once again play non-conference games. After being confined to a six-game, conference-only schedule in 2020, the days of playing big-time competition early in the season have returned.

This return to non-conference play comes with a big opponent out of the gate. The Chippewas will travel to play Missouri of the Southeastern Conference at 4 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Tigers are coached by Eli Drinkwitz, who is in his second season at the helm.

Tim Skipper is slated to lead CMU into its season opener, as head coach Jim McElwain was diagnosed with appendicitis and underwent surgery Wednesday. Skipper has worked closely with McElwain for several years, at Colorado State, Florida and now with the Chippewas.

"I kind of have (the schedule) memorized from being with him for so long," Skipper said. "We are well trained on how we practice and how we need to practice. We're staying to that, we're going to get on a plane and we're going to play this game."

CMU is coming off a 3-3 season that McElwain called "unacceptable." As the program looks to return to the winning ways set in 2019, it faces a stiff test in a Missouri team that posted a 5-5 record in its respective conference-only season.

Meet the opponent

While the Tigers are not on par quite yet with their SEC East Division counterparts Georgia and Florida, the program is on the rise. Drinkwitz has revived optimism that was lost late in the tenure of the team's previous coach Barry Odom.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Connor Bazelak, the SEC's reigning freshman of the year, leads the Tiger offense. He finished 218-for-324, throwing for 2,366 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions in 2020.

The Missouri defense is led by redshirt junior defensive lineman Trajan Jeffcoat, who had six sacks in 2020. Nick Bolton, a mainstay at linebacker for the program, was drafted in the second-round of the 2021 NFL Draft and leaves a glaring hole at the position.

The Tigers have a supporting cast full of players on the cusp of breaking out. Tyler Badie is in his fourth year with the program and will step in as the starting running back. Keke Chism, a 6-foot-5 wideout, is a Division II transfer in his first full year with the program.

Big question: Who will be the Chippewas starting quarterback?

When CMU released it's two-deep depth chart ahead of the opener, it featured three players listed as potential starting quarterbacks. It appears Jacob Sirmon, Daniel Richardson and Tyler Pape will compete up until the first play.

McElwain had said he planned to play multiple guys at the position against the Tigers, and it appears that will be the case under Skipper. Sirmon brings the explosive arm, Richardson has the familiarity and Pape oozes potential.

The Chippewas have a decision to make when it comes to who will lead the offense. The three-quarterback experiment may get them through game one, but the staff will have to find a starter soon.

Key to victory: Explosive plays

In 2019, CMU created a reputation for controlling explosive plays on defense while creating them on offense. That standard was not met in 2020 and McElwain wants to get his offense back to where it was. If the Chippewas want to have any chance against the Tigers, they'll need big plays.

Kalil Pimpleton will need to make his presence felt in all facets of the game. If he does so and the Chippewas keep the game interesting heading into the fourth, a big play or two could lead to a win.

Central Michigan (0-0) at Missouri (0-0)

All-time series: First meeting

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET

Date: Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021

Stadium: Memorial Stadium

Location: Columbia, Missouri

Odds: Missouri -14

Over/Under: 60.5

TV: SEC Network (Kevin Brown, Hutson Mason, Lauren Sisler)

Radio: 98.5 WUPS (Adam Jaksa, Brock Guiterrez)