What we learned as Mizzou football escapes with 17-10 win over South Carolina
The Missouri Tigers got out to a big lead, and while the game got dicey, they still walked away with a 17-10 win over South Carolina on Saturday at Brice-Williams Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
Mizzou linebacker Devin Nicholson picked off Gamecock quarterback Luke Doty’s pass late in the fourth quarter to preserve a Tiger win.
The MU defense — which was missing defensive coordinator Ryan Walters to contact tracing — turned in one of its best performances of the season. The Tigers slammed the door on the Gamecocks, though South Carolina picked up some late scores to make it interesting.
“I can’t be any more proud of our football team,” MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz said after the game. The fight they displayed, the toughness they showed. ... To still find a way to win. Defense played lights out. We knew Coach Walters wasn’t going to be here. Tip of our hat to our defensive staff, especially Coach (David) Gibbs.”
The Tigers’ offense turned in a mixed bag of solid plays and occasional mistakes. The running game never got going, and MU quarterback Connor Bazelak was pressured and hit often. The offense disappeared in the second half as the Gamecocks were able to chip away from the lead.
But still, Mizzou (3-3) downed South Carolina (2-6) with a depleted roster on Saturday for the win.
The Tigers were hit by COVID-19, injuries, opt-outs, transfers and whatever else Drinkwitz has needed to navigate. They were missing 11 players, including nine scholarship players, as backups and depth pieces were out. Mizzou fell below the SEC’s 53-player roster threshold, Drinkwitz said, as they only had 52 active players despite traveling with 56. They still put together a team that came out with the victory.
Drinkwitz’s program sits alone in third place in the SEC East. Mizzou will also see an old friend next game in former coach Barry Odom, who’s now Arkansas’ defensive coordinator. The Battle Line Rivalry between Mizzou and Arkansas will kick off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Faurot Field. The game’s location has been changed from KC’s Arrowhead Stadium to Columbia because of the pandemic.
“Just really an awesome performance all the way around,” Drinkwitz said. “Obviously, we didn’t do what we needed to do offensively in the second half to put the game away. We found a way to win, and that’s what you have to do.”
Here are some takeaways from Mizzou’s win Saturday.
Offensive struggles
After opening the game with a three-and-out, it appeared as if the Mizzou offense was settling in. Quarterback Connor Bazelak had some nice throws, and while he threw an errant interception in the first half, MU was at least moving the ball.
It resulted in a 17-0 halftime lead — not a runaway like some expected, but production.
Then the second half rolled around and the offense went silent. MU’s five drives after the break all ended in punts, including two three-and-outs. While the Tigers milked some clock late in the game, they only picked up five first downs in the final two quarters.
Bazelak finished 21 for 33 on passes for 203 yards, one touchdown and one interception. A bulk of those yards came in the first half, though, as the second half was a slog.
History books
Tiger running back Larry Rountree III has been integral to the offense — and the senior captain etched his name into Mizzou lore Saturday. On an 11-yard rush in the second quarter, Rountree passed Zack Abron for second all-time on MU’s career rushing list.
Former quarterback Brad Smith leads the way, meaning Rountree’s the most prolific running back in Mizzou history.
It was a slog to run the ball consistently Saturday, though. Mizzou was missing starting offensive linemen Larry Borom and Xavier Delgado, who both traveled, but did not see any game action.
There weren’t many open running lanes as Rountree, who got many carries, couldn’t hit paydirt as often. He finished Saturday with 21 carries for 58 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Youth movement
With so many contributors unavailable or injured, the Tigers’ future was on full display. The Tigers started two true freshmen at cornerback in Ennis Rakestraw and JC Carlies.
There were shades of nostalgia as true freshman wide receiver Jay Maclin, cousin of MU legend Jeremy Maclin, hauled in his first catch, which went for 5 yards. First-year running back Elijah Young also had a carry Saturday, setting up Mizzou’s second touchdown.
This story was originally published November 21, 2020 at 10:16 PM.