Mizzou Offense, Defense Reverse Roles in Tennessee Loss

The Missouri Tigers looked like a team with a new identity in a loss to the Tennessee Volunteers, but the positive results turned out to be short-lived.

If the Missouri Tigers were to have any shot of upsetting the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville on Saturday, they were going to need to have another stout performance from a defense that has been a surprise in the SEC this season.

But even in a 66-24 loss that severely got away from the Tigers (4-6) in the second half, it was an offense that has been brutally poor at times this season that helped Mizzou hang tough with Tennessee (9-1) in a first half that was more competitive than most expected.

Mizzou's defense hadn't allowed more 26 points in SEC play this season and had only surrendered 69 points combined in its last four games. Allowing 66 points to an explosive Tennessee offense is certainly an outlier for a defense that has exceeded expectations.

The same could be said about the performance of the Tigers offense. Through the first two-and-a-half quarters, Mizzou answered some impressive drives by the Vols to keep things close in a half that seemed destined for a Tennessee rout.

But despite missing some potentially big throws, Tigers quarterback Brady Cook used his versatility as a runner along with a few gutsy passes to show that the Mizzou offense was there for a fight early. He led all players with 106 rushing yards on 16 carries while staying steady as a passer, going 19-of-32 through the air for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

His first score was a risky throw off his back foot on a fourth-and-short that landed in the perfect spot between two defenders for receiver Tauskie Dove, who caught the feathery pass before strolling in for a 43-yard touchdown. It was Mizzou's first passing score since the 17-14 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores on Oct. 22.

Cook's second touchdown came with 8:55 left in the third quarter and was one of the better plays he's made this season. He delivered a confident and accurate 38-yard throw to receiver Dominic Lovett, hitting him in stride right at the goal line for the score.

Suddenly, Mizzou was down 28-24 with some real momentum in the third quarter.

But about that defense ...

Following Lovett's touchdown, Tenneseee receiver Jalin Hyatt continued his 2022 dominance, running free for a 68-yard touchdown to give the Vols a 35-24 lead.

There was no reason to panic. Mizzou had looked re-energized on offense and capable of somehow keeping pace with Tennessee, something that seemed impossible headed into Sunday.

But once Mizzou punted on its next drive with the chance to answer the touchdown, things crashed and burned.

Hyatt's score was the beginning of 38 unanswered points by the Vols. The Tigers gave up more points in the second half alone than they had in all but one full game this season.

Twenty-four points was a season-high for Mizzou's offense against a Power 5 opponent, which should tell you all you need about where the Tigers have stumbled this season. But when Tennessee posts a season-high in points as well, it's clear what the results will be.

Missouri had no excuse to fail on offense the rest of the way, though it became obvious the splash of momentum on the sideline in the third quarter died quickly once the Vols kept racking up points, leading to a major loss of hope for the Tigers

But regardless, on a day where the offense finally decided to provide a some sort of spark against one of the best teams in the country, the defense -- a clear No. 1 strength of the team -- failed to stay upright let things get away in a hurry.

On the bright side, the 66-24 loss wasn't as lopsided as it appeared.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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