Missouri Tigers football grades: Analysis from Mizzou’s loss to South Carolina
One week after a completing a brilliant comeback to defeat Oklahoma in a college football showdown at Faurot Field, Mizzou found itself in a similar position on Saturday at Columbia ... South Carolina.
The No. 23-ranked Tigers trailed No. 21 South Carolina 21-6 at halftime before clawing back for a 30-27 advantage in the fourth quarter.
This time, unlike the week before against the Sooners, MU was unable to hold onto that lead. Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers led a touchdown drive that lasted all of 40 seconds.
Final score: South Carolina 34, Missouri 30.
“(I’m d)isappointed for our guys that we couldn’t find a way to win,” MU coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “We had opportunities in the first and second half and just didn’t execute well enough when we needed to in order to win the game.”
Here are our grades from the Tigers’ Southeastern Conference loss.
Missouri offense
Welcome back, Brady Cook. The veteran QB looked mostly solid in his return, throwing for 237 yards (21-for-31 passing) with one touchdown … and a defeat-sealing interception.
Overall, Mizzou’s offense was efficient throughout. The Tigers were able to put some points on the board, and they wouldn’t have been in that position without No. 12 under center.
That said, three of the Tigers’ trips into the red zone resulted in field goals. Scoring 24 in the second half was good, but MU needs to be able to punch in TDs through all four quarters.
Grade: C
Missouri defense
The Tigers allowed their hosts to pile up 462 yards of total offense. Sellers threw for 353 yards and five touchdowns.
Mizzou was unable to hold its lead with just over a minute left as Sellers orchestrated the Gamecocks’ winning 70-yard march.
Grade: F
Missouri special teams
Placekicker Blake Craig went 3-for-4 on field goal attempts, missing one from 49 yards in the second quarter. He made his others (from 25, 37 and 38).
Grade: C
Area of improvement
Another slow start and the Tigers were unable to come back this time.
As they close out their 2024 regular season over these next two games, converting red zone trips into touchdowns — not field goals — will be the focus.
Play of the game
We’ll go with one that showcased Mizzou at peak efficiency: Cook’s 37-yard touchdown pass to Luther Burden with 1:10 left was a thing of beauty all around.
Cook’s arcing pass down the left sideline was a perfectly placed rainbow, and Burden’s reception — a contested catch followed by an all-out sprint to the end zone — was just as memorable.
