Some notes, thoughts, and observations from the other side of the country, after the Mizzou Tigers drop a heartbreaker in the other Columbia.
Well, it had to happen, I guess. Missouri put both their five game winning streak against South Carolina and their 8-0 winning streak in one score games on the line in Columbia East, and both were snapped. Due Theory is a gambler’s fallacy, and for a few miraculous moments it seemed like Mizzou would extend both streaks.
It was a crushing loss as a fan, and one that I’m sure was quite painful on the sidelines and in the locker room. Brady Cook and Luther Burden III entrenched their respective legacies with yet another clutch throw and catch, only to have it minimized shortly thereafter. The run game was brutalizing in its efficiency, only to have it mean nothing in the end. The defense turned things around in the second half, only to fall back apart on the final drives.
The pain is exacerbated by a handful of “what ifs.” Had Johnny Walker Jr. completed his sack of Lanoris Sellers, if they had stopped just one of SC’s hot-knife-through-butter drives, if Nate Noel had gone the right way on a run play on the final drive, if Drinkwitz had gone for it on 4th and 1 inside the ten….
As I write this, the wound is still raw from a heartbreaking loss. (the postgame bourbon, so needed at the time, yet so painful this morning, is not helping anymore.) The balm is taking a wide-lens view of the program. While it was encouraging to see another warrior game from Cook, the best offensive line performance of the season, and another gritty comeback effort, those are just grasping at moral victories from a crushing loss. The relief comes from perspective.
Missouri is well-equipped to finish the season with nine regular wins, and a chance at a tenth in a bowl game. Consecutive seasons with double digit wins has only been achieved twice in school history, both by Gary Pinkel. The things that fuel winning — Recruiting, attendance, NIL — all have a green arrow pointing up. Team culture and resiliency is once again strong, as they showed in the second half.
The Tigers have now lost three games this season, all on the road to league foes who are ranked. After the first one in College Station, it was hard to be proud of the team, as they showed poor preparation and lacked mental toughness. After the second loss, at Alabama, it was hard to be inspired for the remaining games — the offensive futility and Cook’s injury caused the worst pessimism to flourish.
And yet, after the most acutely painful loss of the three, I feel both. I’m proud of Cook and the team for fighting back after a tough first half, and I am inspired that the team has what it takes to finish out another season strong. Yes, the season won’t end in the manner we daydreamed about in the summer, but it could still be one of the finer seasons in Mizzou football history.
Some other notes from my desk in New York City….
—A few weeks ago, I wrote about Kirby Moore’s scripts and the team’s inability to convert touchdowns on the opening drive. The Tigers got some yardage on the opener this week, but kicked a field goal. More concerning is the team’s inability to find the end zone in the first half entirely. Mizzou has not scored a first half touchdown against an SEC team since the Vanderbilt game. Obviously, some of that is related to the quarterback injury situations, but a lot of it is not. How differently might this game have played out if the Tigers had mounted even one touchdown in the first half?
—Is Armand Membou Mizzou’s best player? He was outstanding again on Saturday night. His work in the running game was impeccable, and he slowed down SC’s ferocious pass rush. It’s been a joy watching him blossom into one of the best tackles in the SEC.
—Speaking of the offensive line, I was pleasantly surprised to see Mizzou having their best day up front on the season. The outside zone runs were dominant, and the pass protection was incredible when you adjust for opponent. Drake Heismeyer was solid stepping in for the injured Connor Tollison in the run game, even if he and Mitchell Walters had a few miscommunications on pass pro. The overall performance was encouraging.
—Kewan Lacy is such a natural ball carrier. I was happy to see him get some meaningful touches. He is going to be a big factor in the 2025 season.