Mizzou Football Gets Rebound Win, Rolls Past UMass in Blowout

The Missouri Tigers needed to regain confidence after its loss to Texas A&M the previous week, and it accomplished that against UMass.

Oct 12, 2024; Amherst, Massachusetts, USA; Missouri Tigers cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. (2) warms up before a game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Blowing in the windy conditions at McGuirk Alumni Stadium Saturday afternoon, Missouri football steamrolled through UMass in a 45-3 win. 

The Tigers sought to fix the issues that led them to their demise against Texas A&M a week ago, and they were able to do just that in a strong offensive and defensive effort. By halftime they already led 24-3, but 21 unanswered points in the third quarter certainly put the game to rest. 

Starting running back Nate Noel was ruled out of the game due to back tightness, but Missouri found other ways to attack in the run game. Marcus Carroll rushed for 91 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries in his best game of the season, while receiver Luther Burden III scored on a 61-yard jet sweep at the 14:03 mark of the first quarter. 

Burden went down with a left arm injury early in the third quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the day, but he still added five receptions for 59 yards. According to head coach Eli Drinkwitz on the broadcast, the junior will be “just fine.”

After immense struggles against the Aggies, quarterback Brady Cook had a much better outing against the Minutemen. The senior threw for 219 yards and 14-of-19 pass completions, including two touchdowns. Aside from Burden, he got a few other targets involved, including Theo Wease Jr., Brett Norfleet and Joshua Manning — who scored the first touchdown of his career with 8:30 left in the third quarter on a 63-yard completion.

Lineback Corey Flagg Jr. had possibly the most important play of the game, snagging an interception in the red zone and returning it 80 yards to prevent a UMass score with 23 seconds remaining in the first half. The depth of the Tiger defense was utilized throughout the day, specifically in regards to linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez, who recorded a team-high nine tackles. 

Missouri needed to build up its confidence after the blowout at the hands of Texas A&M, and the matchup against the Minutemen came at just the right time. It provided a way for it to get the ball rolling again and get a needed win before it goes back on the Southeastern Conference schedule. 

The Tigers will return back home for the first time since Sept. 21 to face the Auburn Tigers at 11:00 or 11:45 a.m. Saturday. 

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Fourth Quarter

• Linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez has a team-high of nine tackles on the day. An impressive outing for the freshman.

• Lots of underclassmen are getting opportunity late in this game, and it's cool to see. Might as well give the young guys reps with the score as wide as it is.

• Drew Pyne has now been inserted at the quarterback position.

Third Quarter

• 1:24: Brett Norfleet gets in on the scoring fun, receiving the ball on back-to-back plays, including an 8-yard touchdown. It's 45-3 in Amherst.

• 8:18: Defensive end Williams Nwaneri records the first sack of his career. The five-star recruit is getting some action with the big lead.

• 8:30: Joshua Manning scores his first career touchdown on a 63-yard completion, putting the Tigers up 38-3. The longest pass play for Missouri this season, although most of the work was done by Manning.

• Burden is now seen on the sidelines, but is officially listed as questionable for the rest of the game. Trainers were cutting off his foot tape, so he's likely not going back out on the field.

• Linebacker Khalil Jacobs was seen heading to the locker room with no pads and his left arm tucked under his shirt, per Eli Hoff. Two potential injuries in quick succession for Missouri.

• 10:09: Carroll gets his third touchdown of the day, rushing to the left for a 35-yard touchdown. The lead is now 31-3 in the Tigers' favor.

• Burden went up to get a ball from Cook on a slant, but fell down hard on the field and was walked off. Looks like a left arm injury that will likely keep him out for the rest of the game, currently is in the tent.

•12:44: Daylan Carnell nearly picked Taisun Phommachanh off, but it just fell out of his hands. Regardless, UMass turns it over on downs.

Second Quarter

• Nate Noel is officially listed as OUT for the rest of the game with back tightness, per Eli Hoff.

• Blake Craig's 42-yard field goal sends the Tigers into halftime with a 24-3 lead.

• 00:23: Corey Flagg Jr. snags an interception in the red zone and takes it 80 yards down the field to prevent a UMass score.

• UMass tries a fake punt, and it works. The Minutemen pick up 39 yards on that play and have good field positioning with a minute left in the half to score.

• 6:03: The Minutemen get their first score of the game off a 28-yard field goal from Jacob Lurie, making it a 21-3 differential.

• 11:02: Carroll strikes again on a 4-yard touchdown. Missouri now leads 21-0.

• UMass has already used three timeouts and there is still 13 minutes left in the half.

• Kewan Lacy getting some action at running back, receiving the first two carries of the quarter for a total of seven yards.

First Quarter

• Mitch Walters is in the offensive line over Cayden Green. Already a lot of substitutions for the the Tigers by the end of the first quarter.

• Nate Noel hasn't seen a snap yet, while Carroll and even Jamal Roberts have gotten seven and two carries respectively.

• 5:15: Marcus Carroll punches in a 3-yard touchdown, putting Missouri up 14-0. Marks his third touchdown of the season.

• 14:03: Just like that, a 61-yard jet sweep to Luther Burden III gives the Tigers their first touchdown of the day and an early 7-0 lead.

Pregame:

• UMass wins the toss and defers, allowing Missouri to receive the kick-off.

• Expect wind to be a factor in Saturday's game — the National Weather Service is charting wind in Amherst, Massachusetts to be up to 17 mph and gusts up to 23 mph.

• Missouri will be without starting inside linebacker Triston Newson and defensive end Joe Moore III due to injury, according to the Tiger Radio Network.

UPDATE: Mike Kelly reports on the Buckle Up Phone Down Tiger Tailgate that DL Joe Moore and LB Triston Newson are out today, and freshman DL Williams Nwaneri is expected to play.

— Mizzou Radio (@MizzouRadio) October 12, 2024

How to Watch: No. 21 Missouri Tigers at UMass

Who: No. 21 Missouri Tigers (4-1, 1-1 SEC) vs. UMass (1-5)

What: Week 7 of the College Football season

Where: McGuirk Alumni Stadium (17,000), Amherst, Massachusetts

When: Saturday, October 12, 11 a.m.

TV: ESPN2

Radio: Tiger Radio Network: (Play-by-play Mike Kelly, Analyst Howard Richards, Sideline Chris Gervino)

SiriusXM: 190