Missouri went up quickly, 14-0 and every thing was looking like you’d hoped. The Tigers were moving the ball easily up the field on offense and preventing Wyoming from going really anywhere defensively. Everything was looking great.
But then things began to unwind. The Tiger defense did a great job to hold Wyoming to a Field Goal to hold their lead at 14-3, but on the ensuring possession Kelly Bryant took the ball on a quarterback keeper and Wyoming went the other way for a touchdown. The next possession led to a punt and a blown assignment on an offensive shift led to ANOTHER Wyoming touchdown. Suddenly a 14-0 lead was a 17-14 deficit. After a Missouri Field Goal, the Cowboys scored another touchdown on one play.
To top it off, the Tigers against marched the ball down the field only to fumble at the goal line, leading to a long run back and another Wyoming Field Goal.
Four plays, 24 points.
This is the weird thing about football, Missouri controlled the play for the better part of the half but three long touchdowns are better than two long touchdown drives. Two turnovers converted into 10 points are better than 0 turnovers for 0 points.
The Tigers had TD drives of 12 plays and 11 plays in the first quarter. And it was undone by a turnover for a touchdown and a 2 play touchdown drive, and then a one play 75 yard run touchdown run to seemingly cap it off. To just pour a little salt in the wound, the Tigers again marched the ball down the field only to fumble on the 1 yard line, leading to a 79 yard return which led to a field goal.
Is there anything you saw in the first half which made you think Wyoming was the better football team? Or was it simply we just watched Missouri shoot themselves in the foot on four plays and they were KILLER plays.
What you have to hope at this point is the talent level for Missouri over the course of the second half will allow them to get back the lead, and control the game. You expect this team to clean up the mistakes which cost them 24 points and find a way to get back to controlling the line of scrimmage.
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Wyoming only has 190 yards rushing because of two runs. 136 of those game on just TWO runs. Really.
The Tigers have been in control except for when they’ve lost the plot. The best solution is to STOP-LOSING-THE-PLOT. Be sound on defense, take care of the football, and get out of Laramie with a win.