Motivated by Booing Fans, Theo Wease Jr. 'Put Everything On the Line' in Win Over Oklahoma

Missouri Tigers wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. went to taunt a section of Oklahoma fans immeadietly after winning over his former team.

Nov 9, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Eli Drinkwitz needed Theo Wease Jr. to listen.

The wide receiver unbuckled his chinstrap and walked with his head down.

No. 24. Missouri Tigers quarterback Drew Pyne's pass fell well-short of Wease on 3rd-and-6. Trailing 9-3 and frustrated with the continuing struggles of an offense managing just 2.3 yards per play, Wease dejectedly walked to the sideline.

"I was frustrated, that's just the competitiveness in me," Wease said of the moment. "It was just a lot of emotions going on."

Drinkwitz saw the aggravation in one of the team's captains. After the head coach had spent the halftime break reminding his team to stay steady and not panic, he wasn't going to let anyone get off schedule.

"I just grabbed him,"Drinkwitz said, "pulled him aside and said, 'Hey, we need it one play at a time.'"

If Wease didn't believe Drinkwiitz, the results spoke for themselves.

The next offensive drive, Missouri dug its way down the field. It wasn't with massive chunk plays, rather with small, but important, gains of two, four or five yards. Wease wasn't targeted until what wound up being the final play of the drive: a screen pass on 3rd-and-goal.

He swerved through defenders, creating a open space for himself right to the end zone as former Oklahoma guard Cayden Green celebrated behind him. It was Missouri's first touchdown on the night, capping off a 12-play, 59-yard drive to take the lead. Before the scoring drive, Missouri's longest drive was a nine-play, 24-yard trip that ended with a punt.

Nov 9, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. (1) scores a touchdown against Oklahoma Sooners defensive lineman Ethan Downs (40) and linebacker Kip Lewis (10) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Suddenly, Missouri fans nor Wease had their heads down. After scoring his touchdown, Wease turned to his right, looked up and blew a kiss to the section of Oklahoma fans. But there was no love in this gesture.

The Oklahoma section lingered in the back of Wease's mind through most of the game. He listened to them boo as his name was announced during starting lineups. He undoubtedly listened to what they said on social media when he decided to leave the school.

"Just being there for four years," Wease said, "I really just wanted to put everything on the line tonight."

Wease made it clear to his teammates this matchup was personal to him. Defensive end Zion Young said it was evident as early as Monday what this game meant to Wease. He played like it was personal.

Wease's touchdown was the first of a combined five touchdowns scored in the final 20 minutes of the game. A scoring parade in the fourth quarter started when Pyne found tight end Brett Norfleet open in the back corner of the end zone. Oklahoma went on to score two-straight touchdowns — one on a 18-yard pass from Jackson Arnold and the other on a fumble from Missouri running back Jamal Roberts the Sooners returned for a touchdown.

The fumble return from Oklahoma switched the game on its head from a tied game where Missouri had the chance to win it, to the Tigers trailing and needing seven to tie it.

Missouri needed a response. As Drinkwitz reminded his wide receiver earlier, it would take one play at a time. Any desperation moves by the offense risked a disaster.

Wease started the drive by turning a 13-yard toss into a 28-yard gain to the Oklahoma 47. He battled through a herd of four Oklahoma defenders, evading a tackle at his hip before two Sooners brough him down. Wease crawled up from the pile, staring coldly into the air like a shark after attacking its prey.

"We were out for blood," Young said of the tense feelings in the rivalry matchup.

Four incompletions and a sack later, the Missouri offense faced a 3rd-and-16. Two plays away from suffering a third loss on the season, Pyne launched a 33-yard pass to Luther Burden III all the way to the Oklahoma 10.

Wease has taken Burden under his wing to bring the potential out of the young receiver, who is slotted to be one of the first receivers selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Since Wease came over from Oklahoma, his leadership has changed the makeup of the receiving room.

"I think his maturity and wisdom in that room was really the glue that’s brought us together," Drinkwitz said of Wease ahead of the season. "His ability to talk trash, be who he is, but also play to his role and get everybody else to do that cannot be overstated in the success that we’ve had."

Two plays after Burden brought Missouri into the red zone, Pyne saw Wease in a one-on-one matchup with Oklahoma's Eli Bowen in man coverage. Pyne was only inserted as a starter for Missouri 21 days before Saturday, but he already had all the trust Wease would come down with the ball in the back of the end zone.

"I know that anytime going to him," Pyne said of Wease, "he's going to absolutely do everything he can to catch it."

In a game where Wease wanted to put everything on the line, he did so with everything but his right foot. Half a shoe size more for Wease and Missouri would've been facing a 3rd-and-10. Instead, Wease brought the ball down to tie the game.

ELITE body control by Theo Wease Jr🔥

pic.twitter.com/iadZVuFAew

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 10, 2024

On the other side of the field, the Oklahoma fan section could only watch helplessly and listen to the raging crowd at Faurot Field.

Wease listened to an even louder reaction to the crowd when the ball popped out from Arnold's hands, onto the ground, and into the hands of a rolling Young, who delivered the ball into the end zone for a game-winning touchdown.

"I had my back turned, actually," Wease said. "But then I heard the crowd screaming so then I turned up, and I just see Z running slow motion. And I'm glad he did execute the scoop perfectly."

After Oklahoma's failed attempt for a miracle in 19 seconds from Oklahoma, Wease knew exactly where he wanted to run to. He unbuckled his chinstrap and walked with his head held high to the far left section by the south end zone.

There was nothing for him to listen to. He crossed his arms and stared. The only thing he needed to say was "bye."

The same Oklahoma fans that booed him ahead of the game were speechless. Wease was too from the wild last two minutes of play.

"I can't even put my emotions into words what happened through that two minute time period was crazy," Wease said.

It was the only fitting outcome for the renewal of a rivalry for the first time since 2011. Both teams were expected to competed for a playoff spot ahead of the season.

Ultimately, there was less at stake in the long-run. But in a true rivalry with emotions running high, the outside circumstances don't matter.

Wease was always going to have an extra stake in it.

"I feel good to renew the rivalry," Wease said.

"I'm on the good side."