LEXINGTON, Ky. 一 Most teams need 60 minutes to win a football game, but the Missouri Tigers only needed 45 in Saturday’s 38-21 Week 7 win over No. 24 Kentucky. It was Mizzou’s first win at Kroger Field since 2013.
After sleepwalking through the first quarter and being down 14-0, it appeared that Missouri (6-1) might never wake up and it was going to have two straight conference losses after starting the season 5-0.
But like a shot of expresso in the morning, Mizzou woke up after true freshman Marquis “Speedy” Johnson recorded a 39-yard touchdown. But it wasn’t a pass thrown by Brady Cook. It was a pass thrown on a fake punt by no other than walk-on punter Luke Bauer.
“The fake punt right there to spark us was unbelievable and that’s all we needed,” Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said proudly in his post-game presser. “We just needed something to believe in and that’s what good football teams find a way to do in all three phases 一 when someone isn’t performing in one of those phases (someone else) step up, and I’m really proud of (special teams coordinator) Erik (Link).”
Bauer, who might want to go by “Cool Hand Luke” since he had no qualms about what he was going to do when he walked on the field for the third time with a little less than 12 minutes to go in the second quarter, said it was something that he was comfortable doing for a few reasons.
“Growing up I played baseball, so I know I can throw the ball. There were no checks (other options) to it. So, it was run the play or I might get hit,” Bauer said with a chuckle. “We ran it all week, so I had a good feeling we were going to run it and it worked out.”
Missouri isn’t one for the trickery too often, but again, it desperately needed that play to stay in the game.
It felt like it was Opposite Day when you compared the Tigers’ start in Week 6 versus LSU and its start in Week 7.
Instead of deferring to get the ball in the first half after winning the coin toss, they opted to receive and promptly went three-and-out.
Kentucky proceeded to go 65 yards on nine plays on its drive that ended in a seven-yard touchdown reception by running back Ray Davis.
Cook then threw an egregious interception in double coverage trying to get the ball to Luther Burden III, before the defense allowed a nine-play, 63-yard drive for a touchdown. Then, Mizzou would punt again on its third possession.
“That’s huge (Bauer’s touchdown pass). I mean, it completely shifted the game,” Cook said. “You know, the offense, we were struggling. And they picked us up. That’s a team win all the way. (I’m) just so proud of special teams and defense.”
After finally waking up in the second quarter, Missouri controlled the last 45 minutes of the contest, outscoring the Wildcats 38-7.
Not including the final possession that consisted of kneel downs, Mizzou would score on seven of its final nine possessions, punting just one time during that span and having a field goal attempt blocked.
Defensively, after Kentucky’s two scoring drives to begin the game, it would be held to five punts, a turnover on downs, three giveaways and a touchdown in its final 10 possessions, not including the eight-second possession before halftime.
“Our defense, we really leaned on them,” Drinkwitz said. “We didn’t play particularly well offensively, but played really complementary football they forced three takeaways, and that was the difference in the game.”
Success without Burden
Game after game Burden could be counted on for at least seven receptions and 96 yards. Literally, his “worst” game of the season coming into this matchup was seven receptions for 96 yards versus South Dakota.
After that, he racked up five straight games with at least seven receptions for 114 yards with him recording at least 10 receptions for 140 yards in his last three games.
It was not meant to be on Saturday.
Burden had just two receptions for 15 yards, and one carry for six yards with all of it coming in the first half. However, Missouri was able to produce without him having a big day.
“Yeah, that’s what our team does, man. It’s it ain’t about individual performance. It’s about teams finding ways to win and that’s what we did today,” Drinkwitz said.
Obviously, the help got started off with Johnson’s touchdown catch on the fake. He finished the game with two receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown.
It marked his fifth straight game with a reception of at least 39 yards.
Theo Wease led receivers with six receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown while Mookie Cooper added two receptions for 29 yards.
True freshman tight end Brett Norfleet got his first career start and didn’t disappoint with four receptions for 40 yards.
Missouri tight ends recorded 10 receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns all of last season. Tyler Stephens had five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown as the leading tight end during that year.
This isn’t as much of an indictment on Stephens as it is praise for Norfleet, who almost had Stephens’ 2022 campaign in one game.
Running back Cody Schrader managed to get 71 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, and he also added three catches for 15 yards.
Lastly, Cook had a pedestrian day if you were just looking at the box score. His streak of four consecutive 340-yard passing games was snapped, but after he started 1-of-3 for six yards and an interception, he finished 18-of-26 for 161 yards and a touchdown.
He also had his best day on the ground with 10 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown.
“Yeah, it says a lot (for the offense to produce outside of Burden). It just shows this was the type of game we knew it was going to be. We knew it was going to be a street fight back and forth,” Cook said. “They obviously did a great job of limiting explosive plays. I mean, shout out to their defense, they did a great job. They covered really well. Made it really hard on me. Made it really hard on the offense. We just found a way to get it done with other guys.”
Vintage Mizzou defense on display
If you’ve ever seen the high school football player talking about how the opposing team had his team on the ropes in the first half before his team got their act together, that was Mizzou on Saturday in the first quarter.
Two straight nine-play touchdown drives to start the game, Davis running the ball down their throat, reverse and end around action catching them off guard spelled bad news for Missouri’s defense.
After the first quarter, it was hard not to wonder if the defense, more specifically the run defense, that was on display in Week 6 and the first 15 minutes of Saturday’s game was more so the rule than the exception.
LSU gashed Mizzou for 272 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground and Kentucky rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries (9.33 yards per carry).
Davis had eight carries for 72 yards in that period.
Then, Missouri would play it’s reverse Uno card and change the dynamics of the game.
In the final three quarters, Kentucky would rush the ball 11 more times for 42 yards. Davis would get eight more carries but only produce 36 yards.
Defensive end Darius Robinson, who basically wore a smile from ear to ear during his postgame presser, said there wasn’t too much of an overhaul in the game plan. They just needed some pep in their step.
“They came out hot and we wasn’t ready. And we got to the sideline (and) everyone knew 一 it’s like I told you last week, a lot of self-inflicted stuff,” Robinson said. “But we corrected it much faster than we did last week. So, that’s something we improved on and we was able to get back going.”
Robinson also mentioned the difference in how the team reacted to the slow start and compared it to some of the actions that took place in seasons past.
“It’s just the team camaraderie. Like, on the past teams, you couldn’t really talk to certain people, and people didn’t understand that the team always comes first,” Robinson said. “But with this team, the team always comes first. No matter what’s going on.”
For the last 45 minutes of the game, the defense looked a little bit like last year’s 34th-ranked defense by limiting Kentucky to seven points and 149 total yards, while also recording three takeaways and four sacks.
Robinson finished the game with team-highs in tackles (six), sacks (two) and tackles for loss (2.5).
Defensive end Johnny Walker bounced back from an ejection last week with three tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit.
Safety Joseph Charleston forced a fumble on the first play from scrimmage to start the second half and also had five tackles and a quarterback hit.
Freshman safety Phillip Roche recorded two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble in his first real significant playing time on defense.
Safety Sidney Williams had his best game as a Tiger with five tackles.
Cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine recorded his fourth interception in five games and finished the game with three tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, an interception and a pass deflection.
Cornerback Marcus Clarke chipped in with a tackle and his second interception of the season.
Now entering a Homecoming Week 8 matchup versus South Carolina, Missouri is riding high after clinching a bowl berth seven weeks into the season.
Remember, at this point a season ago, Missouri was 2-4 on its bye week in Week 7 hoping it could scratch and claw its way to a bowl berth in the second half of its season. Something it would eventually do in the regular season finale versus Arkansas.
“It feels great. When I knew I was coming back to college, this is what I envisioned, honestly. I envisioned us being a team that can start fast, win games early, and get momentum and to think, last year (versus) Arkansas we were fighting four our lives just to get to a bowl game,” Robinson said. … “The opportunity to be 7-1 is beyond a blessing. But I knew this was going to happen. I knew with everybody coming back to school and with the right mindset with our coaches that this is possible.”
As the old adage goes, “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”
PowerMizzou.com is a proud game day partner of Yuengling Traditional Lager the taste of game-time @yuenlingbeer #LagerUp.
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