Instant Takeaways From Mizzou Football's Wintery Win Past Arkansas

Missouri gets the edge over Arkansas for the third-straight time through a strong run game and big defensive plays.

Nov 30, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) hands off to running back Nate Noel (8) against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

It's not too often you see a snow covering Faurot Field on a game day, but Columbia looked a little different in the Battle Line Rivalry matchup this year.

In wintery conditions, the Missouri Tigers beat the Arkansas Razorbacks for the third-straight season in a 28-21 finish.

Like Missouri's previous home games during the year, it didn't jump out to a hot start — not just because of the weather. The offense found little momentum, especially through the arm of quarterback Brady Cook.

Like it's past wins, the tide changed in the second half, allowing the Tigers to finish off their regular season campaign with a 9-3 record behind pivotal defensive stops and a strong run game.

Relying on the Run

Maybe it was the snowy conditions. Maybe it was the lingering wrist injury. Whichever way, Cook's arm was largely non-existent until the fourth quarter.

In the first half, Cook completed 3-of-6 pass attempts for a total of 26 yards. Compare that to the 81 rushing yards between Marcus Carroll, Nate Noel and Jamal Roberts — it was clear what area the Tigers were putting an emphasis on offensively.

Missouri wanted to keep the game on the ground as much possible, which combated Arkansas' focus on passing the ball for short gains. It continued into most of the second half, in which Carroll did most of the damage through 90 rushing yards on 22 attempts and two touchdowns by the end of the contest.

Noel added 25 yards on 10 attempts along with Roberts' 15 yards on four attempts — but Cook actually was the leading rusher behind Carroll. The senior rushed for 63 yards on 11 attempts, finding ways to work up the field through scrambles.

Cook brought in the final score of the game, rushing up a large gap in the middle of the field for a 30-yard touchdown with 1:53 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers attacked through the air towards the end of the game, as Cook went on to finish the game with 168 passing yards on 10-of-20 completions. However, the run game still did its job in a large sample size, helping bring it to a win behind 193 yards.

Fumbles and More Fumbles

If the snow affected anything today, it was probably the ability for players to keep the football secured.

It wasn't much of a problem for the Tigers, but its defense took advantage of the Razorbacks' crucial mistakes. Arkansas fumbled the ball three times during the game, two of which the Missouri defense picked up accordingly.

The first came after defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. stripped-sacked quarterback Taylen Green with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter, allowing defensive tackle Sterling Webb to recover the fumble.

Walker once again forced a fumble at the 2:58 mark of the third quarter, this time against running back Ja'Quinden Jackson. Instead of Webb, it was linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. who picked up the fumble.

The next drive after both fumble recoveries ended in a score from Carroll. The big defensive plays not only put a stop to the Razorbacks when the Tigers needed it, but directly resulted in the offense's two scores.

Halftime Flips Continue

Missouri has been a predominately second half team throughout the 2024 season, but the offense left much to be desired in the first half even if it isn't its strength.

The Tigers only mustered up 107 yards as an offense by halftime, scoring a single time on a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Carroll with 2:23 remaining in the first quarter. They hardly looked to pass, and when they did, they only converted half of the attempts.

It was a largely conservative play-calling half, as typical of Missouri in most games. It puts the focus on getting small gains of offense through the run game, rather than taking a shot down the field for a larger gain to its receivers. Getting time off the clock and playing a methodical pace was the focus.

Despite it being a consistent problem for the Tigers, not much changed in their first half performance compared to the rest of the schedule. Even if it puts them in a tough position, they pulled through in the end — like the double overtime win against Vanderbilt, Cook's return from the hospital against Auburn and the thrilling fourth quarter that brought them past Oklahoma.

As much as the odds look stacked against Missouri at most halftimes, somehow it made second half flips a part of its identity this season.