Mizzou 48, Arkansas 45: Key moments, players and grades
Keys to the game
KEY PLAYERS
Missouri: Drew Lock. The junior from Lee’s Summit threw for five touchdowns, and his 43 TD passes this season broke the program (39) and Southeastern Conference (40) records for single-season touchdown passes. The Tigers needed him to do so. Mizzou’s defense struggled, and the Tigers’ offense had to trade blows with Arkansas to secure Missouri’s tightest victory of the season. Lock finished 25 of 42 passing for 448 yards and five touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions, which came on Missouri’s first drives of the game’s two halves.
Arkansas: David Williams. The running back ran for two touchdowns. He took a screen pass 24 yards into the end zone for Arkansas’ final touchdown, which came with 10:42 remaining. Williams finished with 75 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards to lead an Arkansas offense that recorded 446 yards of total offense, the most Mizzou has given up in any game during its six-game winning streak.
KEY MOMENT
With Missouri facing third down and 3 yards to go from Arkansas’ 8-yard line, Ish Witter ran for 4 yards to give Missouri a new set downs with less than a minute remaining. Tucker McCann kicked a game-winning 19-yard field goal soon after, with 9 seconds remaining in the game.
The grades
Offense
A-
Lock threw two bad interceptions, but he also put up huge numbers. Witter ran a career high 39 times for 172 yards. The Tigers’ 696 yards of total offense were their most since their season-opening game against Missouri State.
Defense
C-
The Tigers’ secondary has been a weakness all season. Other teams just haven’t exposed it during this winning streak in the way that the Razorbacks did. Mizzou allowed 313 yards through the air as Austin Allen averaged 22.4 yards per completion. MU’s best defensive moment came on the Razorbacks’ penultimate drive, when the Tigers held Arkansas to a 42-yard field goal. That allowed Missouri to bleed the clock while it waited for McCann to kick the deciding score through the uprights.
Special teams
B
McCann made both of his field goals, one from 19 yards out to win the game and the other from 37 near the end of the first half. Corey Fatony averaged just 38.8 yards per punt, far below his season average of 45 heading into this game. Henre’ Toliver returned a punt 33 yards to begin a drive at the MU’s 29 in the first quarter, and Arkansas scored two plays later.
Aaron Reiss: 816-234-4042, @aaronjreiss
This story was originally published November 24, 2017 at 9:08 PM with the headline "Mizzou 48, Arkansas 45: Key moments, players and grades."