SCORE: Mizzou 45 - LSU 41 Final

End of Game Notes

• The magnitude of that block cannot be understated
• I don’t know if LSU’s defense is this bad, but this motion is filthy. It’s got their defense off balance and guessing on almost every play. It feels like Bazelak has a guy open whenever he wants.
• Are the guys who showed out today going to steal some playtime from starters like Hazelton, Chism, and Gicinto?
• This defense may have given up 41 points, but they made big play after big play. I’ll take a performance like this every week.
• Bazelak was 29-34 for 406 YDs and 4 TD and I think I’m ready to die for him
• I think Drink preaching anything short of winning is not a success was a huge contributing factor to this victory. No matter how bad they got down, the guys believed they were going to win from the first snap.

4th Quarter Update

It was Mizzou’s ball to start the fourth quarter, and penalties and negative plays killed their drive. On 3rd and 11, LSU blew up a screen that took the Tigers out of Mevis’ range. Nevertheless, Drink let him take the 56-YD FG, and it would hook left for his first miss of the year.

Just as they have every time they’ve been called upon today, the Mizzou defense again made a big-time stop by forcing the Bayou Bengals to settle for a FG attempt. But for the first time this season, special teams delivered for the boys in black and gold as a blocked field goal kept Mizzou within a FG.

On only the second play of the following Mizzou drive, Bazelak would find true-freshman Chance Luper for 69 yards and put the Tigers inside the 10, and two plays later Nico Hea would catch a slant route to give the Tigers their first lead since the first quarter.

On the following LSU drive, they went fully into their 4-minute offense in an attempt to wind down the clock. The drama of the final sequence was almost cinematic. Terrace Marshall made a fantastic catch at 1-YD line that went to replay review giving LSU 1st & Goal. Mizzou stopped LSU on 1st and 2nd down forcing LSU to call their final timeout with 19 seconds to play. On 3rd down, Nick Bolton made a clutch pass breakup leaving the game in the balance of 4th & 1. But it was Mizzou’s day, Josh Bledsoe made an incredible pass breakup to prevent Terrace Marshal from making another backbreaking play.

The Tigers (the good guys) win the football game.

3rd Quarter Update

LSU came out with a clear change of plans. Running the ball on their first four plays, they got to midfield before stalling as the Mizzou defense continued their second quarter momentum.

Just when it seems like the Tigers (good guys) are finally about to take control, they beat themselves. This time it was a Larry Rountree fumble inside Mizzou’s own 5. The Bayou Bengals would cash in on the very next play to go up 31-24 with 12:25 left in the 3rd quarter.

But never fear, Connor Bazelak is here. Drink fed to the ball to Knox to get the Tigers up to midfield, and on a 2nd and 1 play Bazelak hit a wide open Micah Wilson for a 41-YD to tie the game at 31.

It wouldn’t take long for LSU to answer as Myles Brennan found his top target Terrace Marahal for a 75-YD strike. That play helped LSU regain a 7-point lead with 10:25 to play.

It looked like Bazelak and Drink were gonna dial up another haymaker and continue going blow for blow with Brennan and Steve Emsinger, but after an improbable Bazelak scramble appeared to lead to huge third down conversion, replay review called it back. As a result, Mizzou was forced to punt for the first time all day with 9 minutes left in the 3rd.

Needing a stop the Mizzou defense would answer the call again. After getting to midfield, Nick Bolton would make a huge 3rd down tackle that would force LSU to punt.

If you thought the shootout was gonna slow down, you were wrong. The Mizzou offense marched down the field again featuring a balanced attack. To conclude the drive, Bazelak found Badie on an angle route out the backfield for a 21-YD touchdown to tie the game once more.

To conclude the half LSU would get to field goal range before stalling, and Mr. Reliable Cade York delivered a 51-YD FG to put LSU up 41-38 with one quarter left.

3rd Quarter Notes

• This is the offense fans were promised when Drink was hired. Creative, aggressive and efficient.
• It’s incredible that this is what the offense is capable of without 3 of the top 4 receivers.
• O-Line play has been stellar, and on the few plays it hasn’t, Bazelak has been calm and collected.
• Despite surrendering 38 points, the defensive performance has been very pleasing. 10 of those points came when LSU got the ball deep in Mizzou territory off turnovers. They’ve made big stops all day and this performance has to be a clear move on the right direction. Only thing to look for would be more turnovers.

Halftime Notes

• Mizzou is averaging 5 yd/carry and out rushing LSU 111-1 (yes only 1yard)
• Bazelak is 15-19 for 171 YDs and 1 TD. This is the guy. He has transformed Mizzou’s offense instantly by being under center.
• The defense is figuring it out. LSU has gone 3 & Out on 4 of their last 5 drives.
• LSU gets the ball to start the 2nd Half, but Drink will be hoping the defense can continue their second quarter success and get his offense the ball back.
• Derrick Stingley Jr. is out with an injury, and if he is ruled out, his absence should allow for more vertical passing outside the hashmarks.
• Despite key errors, fans have to be happy with Mizzou’s situation as second half is set to kick off. Upset looming?

Second Quarter Update

It looked like the start of the 2nd quarter might turn the tide in Mizzou’s favor after forcing a 3&Out, but as has been the trend this year, Mizzou had to find a way to beat itself. The ensuing LSU punt was muffed and recovered deep in Mizzou territory, and the Bayou Bengals would cash in on the very next play to go up 21-14.

On Mizzou’s next drive, disaster continued as LSU forced a strip sack for the 3rd Mizzou turnover of the game. The defense would hold strong this time and force a 42-YD FG from Cade Yorke to put extend the LASU lead to 24-14 with 11:14 left in the half. However, the Tigers (good guys) would not be intimidated.

Bazelak would lead another drive full of misdirection and creative play calling into the end zone courtesy of a couple big plays by Jalen Knox including a 16-YD TD run to make the score 24-21 LSU.

Mizzou’s defense made another key stop on the following LSU drive, but the punt team tried to let Mizzou down again. Luckily, after muffing their second punt of the game, and their 3rd of the season, the Tigers were able to recover and bring the offense back out on the field.

In what looked like a promising drive that could lead to Mizzou regaining the lead, the Tigers (good guys) shot themselves in the foot again by fumbling on 3rd down around the LSU 30. Mizzou would catch another break by recovering the loose ball, and Harrison Mevis would continue his stellar start by nailing a 52-YD FG to tie the game at 24 with 1:56 to play.

More stellar Mizzou defense would force another 3&Out as the Tigers (good guys) got the ball back with 0:57 to play and 3 timeouts, but Drink elected to be conservative and run out the remaining clock and go into the half tied at 24.

First Quarter Update

Mizzou got the game started with a bang as on only the fourth play Connor Bazelak connected with Tauskie Dove on 58-YD TD pass after a flee flicker. LSU wasted no time in answering, however, as they methodically marched down the field courtesy of some more poor 3rd down defense from Mizzou. Drink made a questionable call on the second offensive drive as Mizzou faked a punt that led to a turnover on downs at midfield. LSU quickly cashed in feeding off the dynamic duo of Terrace Marshal and Arik Gilbert to take a 14-7 lead, but Mizzou would not be deterred. A methodical drive engineered by Bazelak and some powerful running from Tyler Badie and Larry Rountree was the Tigers (good guys) answer. Eventually, Badie would cash in on a 29-YD TD rn to tie the game at 14-14 with 0:22 to play in the first. LSU will have the ball to start the second on their own 33.

MISSOURI-LSU PREGAME UPDATES

TIME: 11:00 A.M. CT

DATE: Saturday, October 10, 2020

LOCATION: Faurot Field; Columbia, MO

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Mizzou comes in as -14.5 underdogs against the LSU Tigers according to actionnetwork.com

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