QUICK READ: Missouri 38, Arkansas 0

Out like a lion.

Missouri finished its 2018 regular season with a comprehensive 38-0 beating of Arkansas, moving to 8-4 on the season. It’s the first time since 2014 that Missouri won eight games in a regular season, a feat accomplished by going 4-1 over its final five games.

That included a perfect 3-0 record in November.

Here’s the quick read from Missouri’s win over Arkansas:

The “Throw the Damn Towel!” Moment of the Game

Even leading 7-0 after one quarter, this game was never really in doubt, so there are plenty of plays from which to choose. But the biggest play of the game turned this one, officially, into a route — a 67-yard touchdown pass from Drew Lock to Emanuel Hall on a free play. Lock slid left and threw, falling to the side, hitting Hall in stride in between two defenders. Hall took it from there, and a 35-0 lead in the third quarter officially broke whatever spirits Arkansas had left.

The Miller High Life “Boy That Escalated Quickly” Moment of the Game

With 13:11 remaining before halftime, noted dual-threat quarterback Drew Lock ran the ball for a three-yard touchdown, giving Missouri a 14-0 lead. On the second play of Arkansas’ ensuing drive, Jordan Elliott notched one of this three sacks on the day, stripping quarterback Ty Storey. After a brief Keystone Cops exchange, Akial Byers — an Arkansas native — flopped onto the fumble in the endzone to make it a 21-0 lead, less than 40 seconds after Lock’s rushing touchdown.

Game over.

Missouri 38, Arkansas 0: Final Stats

A Senior Send-Off

Some of Missouri’s best plays were made by seniors in the final home game of their collegiate careers.

Emanuel Hall finished with 153 yards and two touchdowns on six catches, giving him 756 yards and six touchdowns on 35 receptions. All that, of course, in eight games — and, really, seven healthy games.

Linebacker Terez Hall notched his first career interception on a gift pass from Ty Storey in the first half.

And, of course, Drew Lock was steady, if not spectacular, on a rain-soaked afternoon in Columbia. He finished 16-of-25 for 221 yards and two touchdowns, adding 12 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He went over 3,000 passing yards for the third-straight year, and now has 96 career passing touchdowns. He’s at least in arm’s length of Chase Daniel’s Missouri record of 96.

Lock came out with under 10 minutes in the fourth quarter to a nice round of applause from the fans that remained.

Roster report

• TE Albert Okwuegbunam, questionable with a shoulder injury suffered against Florida, did not play against Arkansas. Okwuegbunam missed each of the last three games.
• Also absent — RB Damarea Crockett. Another player who was questionable, this time with an ankle injury, the Little Rock, Ark.,-native has now missed each of the three Arkansas games during his Missouri career.
• RB Larry Rountree III moved over 1,000 rushing yards for the season with a workmanlike 119-yard, 29-carry day. He has 1,012 yards on the season on 198 carries.
• DT Jordan Elliott outshone Terry Beckner, Jr — and every other defensive player. Elliott had no sacks entering the 12th game of the year. He finished Friday with three sacks and four tackles for loss. Missouri’s defensive line should still have some star power next season, even without Beckner.

Next up for Missouri (8-4, 4-4)

Now, we wait.

We’ll find out Missouri’s bowl destination in a week’s time. With a strong end to the season, Missouri is in good position for a solid bowl game — Music City in Nashville, anyone?