Game Summary: Wake Forest defeats Missouri 27-17 in Gasparilla Bowl
Behind a stellar performance from Sam Hartman in his final game as a Demon Deacon (23/36, 280 yards, three TDs) and a rock-solid showing from the defense, Wake Forest defeated Missouri 27-17 in the 2022 Gasparilla Bowl.
Read below for a summary of the game:
First Quarter:
Missouri opened the game with some trickery, attempting a flea flicker that fell incomplete. The Wake Forest defense held strong after that, giving up a short completion from QB Brady Cook to Barrett Bannister before stuffing a Mizzou handoff to Cody Schrader on 3rd and short.
READ: Live Updates: Wake Forest vs Missouri
After the punt, Wake Forest got off to a hot start, picking up a quick first down after a completion from Sam Hartman to A.T. Perry near the sticks and a 6-yard rush from Justice Ellison. Shortly after, Perry broke open again over the middle and hauled in a catch for 28 yards. On 3rd and 4 a few plays later, Ellison bounced it outside and picked up 14 yards. Deep in Mizzou territory, Perry drew a defensive pass interference call and advanced the ball to the seven-yard line. After a short rush, Hartman dropped back to pass and found Taylor Morin in the back of the end-zone for a five-yard score, giving Wake a 7-0 lead.
Missouri’s next drive was a rollercoaster ride. They lost yardage on a failed screen play and a fumbled snap that led to a 6-yard TFL from DE Rondell Bothroyd. However, completions of 14 and 22 yards to Luther Burden III moved the Tigers past midfield. After three more completions to Burden, Mookie Cooper and Demariyion Houston, the Tigers’ offense stalled and Harrison Mevis drilled a 35-yard FG to put Mizzou on the board.
Perry was active again early on Wake Forest’s next drive, hauling in an eight-yard catch on first down. However, back-to-back rushes from Ellison weren’t enough to move the chains and Ivan Mora came on to punt it away.
Missouri was called for a false start immediately after the punt. Brady Cook used his legs to pick up yardage on the next play, gaining 10 on a read option that ran out the first quarter clock with the Tigers down 7-3.
Second Quarter:
The Wake Forest defense showed out on 3rd down two plays later, with DT Tyler Williams pulling down Cook for a three-yard sack. Mizzou kicked it back to the Demon Deacons once again.
WRs Donavon Greene and Jahmal got in on the action on the ensuing Wake drive, catching back-to-back passes for 39 total yards. The Deacs were forced with a 4th and 1 a few plays later and drew the Tigers offsides to move the chains and set Wake up on the Mizzou 9. Ellison carried it right up to the goal line on the next play, and finished the job two plays later with a 1-yard TD.
Quinton Cooley took the next series at halfback for Wake after a Mizzou punt, rushing for five yards and catching two passes for 15 total yards right away. Wake was forced to punt a few plays later, but disaster then struck for Mizzou, as Burden botched the punt return and the ball was recovered by WFU’s Will Cobb.
Perry came up big in the short field, hauling in a catch to move the chains on 3rd and 11 and making a seven-yard grab two plays later. However, Wake Forest coughed the ball up immediately afterward on an interception from Hartman into double coverage in the end zone.
The Tigers capitalized on the momentum from the turnover, covering 42 yards on the next four plays. Brady Cook then took off on a QB run for 36 more yards, setting Mizzou up on the WFU 2. After a miscommunication on the snap on 2nd and goal, Cook looked as if he meant to scramble but found Houston in the end zone from a yard out on the broken play.
Wake Forest got the ball back with 2:28 to go in the half and picked up a first down after a roughing the passer call on third down. A pass to Perry and a QB sneak moved the chains again, but the drive ended there and Ivan Mora came on to punt.
With just under a minute to go, Kobie Turner broke through the line and sacked Cook. The Tigers moved the chains a couple of times after that, but couldn’t get any points and went into the half with Wake Forest leading 14-10.
Third Quarter:
After a first down to open the half, a long completion to A.T. Perry was overturned and Wake was forced to punt near midfield.
Missouri moved the ball gradually on the ensuing drive, advancing the ball deep in Wake Forest territory. Cook used his legs well, moving the chains with a 12-yard scamper early in the series and a 7-yard rush on fourth down later on. Schrader also rushed for 26 yards of his own, and a pass interference call on Wake Forest set the Tigers up with 1st and goal from the WFU 2. Schrader punched it in for the score soon after, rumbling across the goal line on an outside handoff and giving Missouri a 17-10 lead.
The next drive was picture perfect for Wake Forest. In just four plays, the Deacs covered 75 yards, punctuated by a home run ball from Hartman to Banks for 48 yards and a touchdown. Matthew Dennis missed the extra point, however, and the Deacs led by three.
After that, the two teams traded three-and-outs. Missouri advanced the ball into Wake territory after a Wake Forest punt but couldn’t convert on a 4th and 4 and the ball went straight back to the Deacs.
Wake nearly moved the chains on the following drive, but a holding call on 4th and short near midfield negated a Justice Ellison first down rush. At the end of the third period, Wake was on top 20-17.
Fourth Quarter:
The Missouri offense revived a bit to begin the final frame, moving the chains twice with a third-down rush from Cook and a 12-yard pass to Houston. Just past midfield, Tyler Williams forced 4th and 3 after deflecting a pass from Cook on third down. Missouri kept their offense on the field and elected to go deep, but the pass was broken up by Wake CB Caelen Carson.
Quinton Cooley gave the offense a spark on the next drive, picking up 26 total yards on back-to-back carries. A costly holding call on Donavon Greene cut the drive short, though, and Wake Forest punted it away once again.
Missouri then returned the favor, moving the ball early thanks to completions to Mekhi Miller and Mookie Cooper but punting following a Tyler Williams sack.
Hartman hit Perry on first down for 11 yards on the following drive, with a roughing the passer call tacking on an extra 15 for the Deacs. Wake moved the ball in bits and pieces, bleeding clock and converting a couple key first downs on a completion to Perry and a scramble from Hartman.
Deep in Missouri territory, Morin made a contested catch over the middle and broke away from his tackler to scamper into the end zone for a 16-yard score.
The touchdown put Wake Forest up by 10 points and was the icing on the cake for the Demon Deacons. Missouri failed to mount a comeback effort in the final few minutes of the game, and the Deacs hung on for the victory.
FINAL SCORE: Wake Forest 27, Missouri 17
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Ben is a managing editor and lead contributing writer for Deacons Daily. Ben has a year of experience as the Sports Editor for the Old Gold & Black, and a year of experience as the publication’s print managing editor. He has a journalistic profile of over 40 published news and sports pieces for the Dayton Daily News.