Missouri’s narrow loss to Texas left plenty of room for frustration, but Eli Drinkwitz wasn’t interested in turning it into a grievance session.
After a Week 10 game that featured a controversial ruling on Arch Manning’s incomplete pass that became a fumble and helped fuel the Longhorns’ comeback, the Missouri coach made it clear Tuesday that his program won’t lean on officiating as a crutch. The Tigers came out on the short end in a game that kept their College Football Playoff hopes hanging by a thread, but Drinkwitz pointed the responsibility back at his own team.
“We are not victims, and I refuse to give in to being a victim mentality. I refuse to give our players, our fans, our coaches an excuse for not getting the job done,” Drinkwitz said. “It’s my job as the head coach to get it done… We had opportunities to do that.”
The SEC office also entered the conversation after commissioner Greg Sankey voiced displeasure with criticism aimed at the league’s referees. Drinkwitz, though, chose a different lane, refusing to frame the Texas loss as something done to Missouri rather than something the Tigers let slip away.
Now sitting at 6-3 overall and 3-3 in SEC play, Mizzou still has a path back into the CFP discussion. That road runs through Georgia, where the Tigers face what is likely the No. 1 team in Tuesday’s CFP rankings on Saturday.
A win Between the Hedges would change the picture in a hurry, but that’s a tall order. The game is set for 3:30 p.m.
ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Mizzou Got The Bounce-Back It Needed But A Bigger Worry Emerged
Missouri got the kind of response it needed after a rough stretch, rolling past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 96-58 behind a breakout night from freshman Jason Crowe Jr. Crowe poured in a career-best 34 points and set a single-game freshman scoring record for the program, while Toni Bryant added 18 points and six rebounds as the Tigers shot 12-for-23 from three-point range and turned defense into offense by forcing 14 turnovers.
The bigger concern came much earlier than the final buzzer, when star forward Mark Mitchell left with a face injury and did not return. Missouri had plenty to like in the win, especially the way its young guards and wings helped carry the scoring load, but Mitchells status is the part that will matter most as the Tigers move into the next stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri Suddenly Has A Mark Mitchell Concern Before Marquette
Missouris win over Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville was the kind of early-season result that can still tell you something about a teams depth, even in a lopsided game. Jason Crowe Jr. stole the spotlight with a team-high 34 points and a freshman scoring record, while coach Dennis Gates mixed in multiple defensive looks and got useful minutes from Toni Bryant and Trent Burns.
The bigger concern came when Mark Mitchell left early because of a facial injury, and his status now becomes part of the buildup to the next test against Marquette. Missouri has enough momentum from the blowout to feel good about where it is, but Mitchells availability matters because the Tigers are already heading into a matchup that will demand more than just scoring punch. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Crowe Answered Mizzou's Setback As A New Concern Emerged
Missouri got the bounce-back it needed at home, rolling past Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 96-58 after taking its first loss of the season. The response came with freshman Jason Crowe Jr. delivering a record-setting performance, pouring in 34 points for a Mizzou freshman while doing it with efficient shooting and giving the Tigers the kind of offensive lift they were looking for.
Mark Mitchells night, though, ended much earlier than Missouri would have liked. The fifth-year forward left with a facial injury and did not return, turning a comfortable win into a reminder that the Tigers may have a new concern to monitor as they move forward from the setback they just answered. [Read more 🡒]