Guzman: Missouri’s Defense Saved Itself, Team, By 'Not Flinching' Under Pressure

When the Missouri Tigers took the field against Boston College Eagles, they were truly tested for the first time of the season. Instead of lying down, they stayed poised and didn't flinch.

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; The Missouri Tigers' defense huddles before a play against the Boston College Eagles at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI

COLUMBIA, Mo. — For the first time in three games, Faurot Field fell silent.

With still nine minutes to play in the second quarter, Reed Harris had sprinted through the end zone — the second score of the day for Thomas Castellanos and Boston College — to give the Missouri Tigers their second blemish of the season. They now found themselves down 14-3.

To that point, the Eagles were the only opponent to score in Columbia in 2024, let alone take a lead. The fans, packed in once more for another game amid a string of sellouts, didn't know how to take that.

So, they remained silent. No music, no celebrations.

Was the Tigers' first real test really going to go like this?

Evidently, it wasn't. No matter how deafening the silence of the usually rowdy stadium was, the players themselves weren't going to let it.

"Don't flinch," Tigers safety Tre'Vez Johnson said with a smile, revealing his his glistening golden grill. "Don't take too many blows."

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers safety Tre'Vez Johnson (4) celebrates after an interception against the Boston College Eagles during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

That was Missouri's mindset. And for a team whose defense went from letting up two first-half touchdowns to laughing on the sideline in the final minutes, it seemed to work.

Johnson, at the very least, knew it had for him as he watched the videos of his momentum-shifting interception sent to him before taking the podium.

"Right spot, right time," he said.

Entering the matchup, the Tigers had been warned about the quarterback coming to town. Castellanos, with quick legs and a strong arm, posed a major threat to "Death Row," and if they weren't careful, they were likely in for a long afternoon.

They'd also be letting down the offense that found itself as the contest went on.

"They're going to be tested today unlike they've been tested so far," Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said a few hours prior to kickoff on College GameDay. "Thomas Castellanos and that offensive line, combined with their rushing attack, is really going to put our guys at the test today."

Immediately, that was evident. Castellanos led the Eagles down the field on a 14-play drive that ended with broken-down coverage and a shutout streak no longer.

Following that, his 67-yard passing touchdown sucked the sound out of Memorial Stadium — new-and-improved sound system and all. That's when it really dawned on the Tigers.

They could either lie down, as star receiver Luther Burden III put it, or they could prevail.

Luckily, achieving the latter wasn't left at the sole discretion of the defense.

"On the sideline, we were just worried about each other," Tigers running back Nate Noel explained. "We just had to have each other's backs. As long as everybody on that field (knew) that we (could) do it and we wouldn't flinch ... it was good."

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; The Missouri Tigers' defense waits for the Boston College Eagles to line up on offense in the second quarter at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Matt Guzman-Missouri Tigers On SI

Communication was key in such an effort. And as strong as that aspect of the Tigers' game had been all season, it was especially noticeable following the first few drives. Perhaps it was the lack of noise.

After Missouri found its footing, however, that became a moot point.

"We stuffed the run, we contained the quarterback," Drinkwitz said of the adjustments made against Castellanos. "I felt like we got into a rhythm of really compressing him in the pocket, and that was really key for us."

What was key for the defense was key for the offense, the fans and everyone in between — especially the fan leaning over the South end zone padding claiming the Tigers were blind for not picking up on Castellanos' totally predictable strategy — and it made sense.

After all, a sobriquet like "Death Row," insinuates that offenses facing Corey Batoon's 11-man squad should prepare their final meal requests.

It certainly happened in the first two weeks, though I doubt Buffalo requested the Buffalo chicken served in the press box in Week 2 — and while Boston College didn't experience the same kind of struggle, it was the team leaving Columbia with a loss on its record.

At least it didn't have to taste the Boston cream pie served at halftime.

Sep 14, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Boston College Eagles quarterback Thomas Castellanos (1) is sacked by Missouri Tigers linebacker Khalil Jacobs (29) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

When the momentum swung back in favor of the home team, the Eagles flinched. The Tigers did not.

"I'm proud of them," Burden said before explaining what the resilience of the defense said about the Tigers as a whole. "The team is not out of the fight. They could have lain down, simply, and just let them keep them scoring. But they put a stop to it."

That they did.

Now, they'll have to do it again when the Vanderbilt Commodores and electric quarterback Diego Pavia, fresh off being on the wrong side of an upset, roll into town; their first SEC contest of the season.

A contest where the last thing they'll want is silence.

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

'We Hadn't Been Challenged': Boston College was the Test Missouri Needed

Burden Recognizes Need to 'Cut Nonsense Out' After Standout Performance

Missouri Snap Counts Vs. Boston College, Season Tracker