Instant Takeaways from Missouri's Strong 27-21 Win over Boston College

Thoughts after No. 6 Missouri overcame a slow start to win over No. 24 Boston College.

Sept 14 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; The Missouri Tigers lineup against the Boston College Eagles during a game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Matt Guzman/MissouriOnSI

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The No. 6 Missouri Tigers 27-21 win over the No. 24 Boston College wasn't perfect, but it was certainly a strong showing for the undefeated squad.

There was the three straight offensive penalties that led to the Tigers facing an unmanageable 2nd-and-59. There was the play that Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos turned a botched snap into an easy 67-yard touchdown.

But Missouri responded well after moments of struggle and were able to make the right plays at the right time. Here's some initial takeaways from the win.

2nd Quarter Turnaround

Momentum was firmly in the hands (or talons) of the Eagles five minutes into the second quarter. Boston College led 14-3 after Thomas Castellenos easily tossed a 67-yard touchdown to a wide-open Reed Harris. 

The Eagles were also in full control of the time of possession battle, holding the ball for 15:29 minutes of playing time compared to just 7:38 for Missouri. 

Missouri was in need of a big play. Which is exactly what receiver Luther Burden III delivered on the Tigers' third drive of the game in the form of a 44-yard reception that put Missouri at the Boston College 29. The crafty reception only led to three points, but it was the momentum shake Missouri needed.

The following drive, the Missouri defense came away with their first of two takeaways in the game, with safety Tre'Vez Johnson snagging an interception over the middle of the field, returning it to the Eagles' 25.

It only took three plays before quarterback Brady Cook connected with Burden again for Missouri's first touchdown of the day.

After the interception from Johnson, Missouri did not allow a single point until 3:45 remained in the game, going on a 21-0 run. Without Burden's shiftiness on his big reception to open up the offense, Missouri would have had some more work to do to dig themselves out.

Defense Contains Thomas Castellanos On the Ground

The top storyline heading into week 3 was how the Missouri defense would be able to do to stop Thomas Castellanos' ability as a runner.

That question was answered rather quickly.

Castellanos ended the game as the Eagles' leading rusher... with all 25 yards on 13 attempts.

The Missouri defense did a really nice job of putting constant pressure on Castellanos, not opening much running lanes. Even on a few run-pass options, the Tigers' defense stunted him. His longest run of the day was on the first play from scrimmage — a mere seven yard scurry.

Noel's Strong Day Powers Missouri Run Game

Missouri’s passing game struggled to find its footing early on in the day, but Nate Noel and the rush were making an impact from the very beginning.

Noel’s speed and ability to break through defenses was highlighted against Boston College, finishing with 121 yards on 22 carries, including a two-point conversion at the 3:04 mark to tie up the score at 14 points a piece. He made a few significant gains throughout the contest, the highest being 24 yards at the 0:09 mark of the third quarter.

Marcus Carroll also had a solid outing, finishing with 57 yards on 12 carries. Just like the previous two weeks, “Thunder & Lightning” were an integral part of the Tigers’ offensive push, using their differing individual skill sets to form an unpredictable tandem. 

The Tigers realized the run game was working early on, and it didn’t stop pushing it into the second half. Brady Cook even got in on the action, evading multiple Eagles defenders to score a 6-yard rushing touchdown at the 10:30 mark in the third quarter. 

Boston College itself is a team that loves to run the football with the dynamic offense of Thomas Castellanos, but Missouri made that more of its advantage through a total of 164 rushing yards, compared to the Eagles’ 46 yards. 

Self-Inflicted Wounds

A main factor of Missouri’s slow start in the first half came down to unforced errors. 

Reducing penalties have been a major emphasis for Drinkwitz and the Tigers, but it didn’t take long for them to creep up — and they were preventable. Safety Joseph Charleston received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the 9:44 mark of the second quarter on a kick-off return, putting the Missouri offense back 15 yards.

Beyond avoidable penalties, a few dropped passes on catchable throws, misfires from Cook and a bad snap from Connor Tollison were all examples of simple mistakes that made a potential loss seem like a possibility for Missouri before its 14 points in the second quarter.

Although it started to stretch out a lead, a string of several penalties also gave the Tigers some trouble in the third quarter. An unsportsmanlike conduct on Burden caused them to be pushed back 15 yards, and then an ineligible receiver downfield was called on Cam’Ron Johnson to bring them back another five yards. Following that, a personal foul on Burden put them at a ridiculous 2nd-and-59 field position. 

Ultimately Missouri came away with a win, but as conference play approaches, those issues could be exploited by its upcoming opponents.