Mizzou report card: Grading the Tigers’ win in SEC opener against South Carolina
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mizzou rushed for 285 yards, led by Hardy’s 138-yard effort on 22 carries.
- Tigers’ defense produced five sacks but allowed 302 passing yards and 2 TD bombs.
- Freshman kicker Meyer hit a key 40-yard field goal after early missed extra point.
No surprises here, but it was yet another hard-fought, back-and-forth slugfest between Mizzou and South Carolina.
This time, the Tigers maintained their perfect record and moved to 4-0 (1-0 SEC).
In a game that featured six lead changes, Mizzou pulled ahead in the fourth quarter off Jamal Roberts’ 16-yard touchdown run. True freshman Robert Meyer sealed the deal in the final minutes, making a career-long 40-yard field goal in the same game he missed an extra point attempt.
It wasn’t perfect by any means, but the Tigers got the job done.
“Really proud of our team for not really flinching,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “We had a missed extra point, gave up a big bomb, got stuck in the red zone a couple of times, but we just kept hammering away.”
Here are the grades from Mizzou’s 29-20 Mayor’s Cup victory...
Missouri offense
The run game was the highlight, once again.
Mizzou ran for 285 yards Saturday, and Ahmad Hardy led the charge with 138 of them on 22 carries. Roberts followed with 76 yards and a score.
Quarterback Beau Pribula didn’t have his most impressive game through the air — 16-for-27 passing for 171 yards and a touchdown — but he still managed to tack on 72 yards on the ground to keep the Tigers in it. He bounced back well off an interception in the second quarter.
“Give Beau credit,” Drinkwitz said. “... He was crucial in providing us with some first downs with his feet on some unscheduled plays. He really played a nice game.”
Grade: B+
Missouri defense
There are two sides to this coin.
Mizzou’s defensive front was dominant. The Tigers held the Gamecocks to minus-9 rushing yards and limited South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers to minus-28 rushing yards. Sellers took some brutal hits as well, with five sacks.
The secondary, however, was a different story.
Sellers threw for 302 yards, including eight explosive plays of 15-plus yards. Two of those plays resulted in South Carolina touchdowns.
“That’s the thing that’s disappointing,” Drinkwitz said. “You look up, and our stats, our numbers, our time of possession is dominating, but the scoreboard is not, and it’s because we’re giving up explosive plays down the field for touchdowns.”
Still, the Tigers kept it together in the end, holding the Gamecocks to just 19 yards of offense in the fourth quarter.
Grade: B-
Missouri special teams
Is a 40-yard kick just what Meyer needed?
He missed the extra point on his first time on the field Saturday, and didn’t have an opportunity to try again on that front. Missouri went for two-point conversions on its other two touchdowns. Meyer did convert from 22 and 23 yards, but Mizzou needed more to effectively secure the win late.
That’s exactly what happened.
Drinkwitz has been vocal throughout the season about Meyer just needing to make one big-time kick, and sure enough, he did just that.
“After the timeout, I just looked at him and said, ‘We believe in you,’” Drinkwitz said. “And he went out there and made it. Some people say they don’t talk to their kickers, but Robby, I don’t think it would’ve mattered either way. So I figured I’d just make myself feel better.”
Grade: C+
Area of improvement
The secondary cannot continue allowing the explosive plays it did against South Carolina, especially now in conference play. The Tigers have one more chance to correct it next week during homecoming against UMass, but from there, it only gets tougher.
Mizzou’s slate after UMass: Alabama, Auburn, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M. All top-25 teams.
Player of the game
We say it every week, but Hardy should be seriously mentioned among the early Heisman contenders. He has at least one rushing touchdown in every game this season. He has 600 yards and six TDs through four games.
“I didn’t think he was going to be this good,” Drinkwitz said. “I mean, let’s be honest. The dude’s running through people like he’s a dump truck. I mean, he’s a Clydesdale amongst a bunch of fillies. It’s unbelievable.”
