Missouri’s 34-10 win over Arkansas came with a clear theme: almost every part of the roster looked sharper than it did in the Week 7 loss to Ole Miss. Coming out of the bye, the Tigers cleaned up a lot of the mess from that earlier defeat and got solid play across the board in a rainy Week 9 performance.
At quarterback, Brady Cook didn’t post eye-popping numbers, but he managed the game the way Missouri needed him to. He went 20-for-31 for 179 yards and two touchdowns, stayed away from turnovers, and kept the offense steady in conditions that pushed the Tigers toward a shorter, safer approach.
Missouri didn’t take as many deep shots as usual, but Cook still delivered the kind of throw that changes a game - a near-40-yard strike to Cayden Lee on third-and-7 early in the third quarter with Missouri leading by six. With three defenders around Lee, Cook dropped it right into his hands for a 46-yard gain that set up a crucial score.
The receiving group had a mixed afternoon behind its top two targets. Lee finished with six catches for 76 yards, while Donovan Olugbode added five receptions for 50 yards and a toe-tapping touchdown.
But the rest of the pass-catching unit helped drag the grade down a bit with some costly drops, which were at least understandable in the wet conditions. Missouri also hurt itself with two receiver penalties, one on Caleb Goodie Sr. for holding and another on Naeshaun Montgomery for a false start.
The run game, meanwhile, was the engine. Jamal Roberts turned in his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season and went over 1,000 yards for the year, piling up 138 yards on 23 carries with three catches for 20 yards and two touchdowns.
He was especially punishing after contact, with 126 of his yards coming that way, and his 43-yard burst helped put the game away in the third quarter. Ahmad Hardy returned but was barely used, finishing with two carries for five yards.
As a team, Missouri ran 35 times for 211 yards, good for a hefty six yards per carry.
Up front, the offensive line did its best work in pass protection. Arkansas managed only three pressures all game, giving Cook the kind of clean pocket that mattered in a slippery, turnover-prone setting.
The run blocking also held up well enough to spring Roberts, especially on that long third-quarter run. The line did commit two penalties, both on Luke Work, but Curtis Peagler and Dominick Giudice turned in clean games that helped stabilize the unit.
Missouri’s defensive front set the tone against the run. Arkansas finished with just 59 rushing yards on 36 attempts, a 1.6-yard average, and its longest run went only 14 yards.
Jalen Marshall, Sterling Webb and Langden Kitchen were strong against the run, while Darris Smith and Donta Simpson helped make life miserable for KJ Jackson. Jackson was pressured 10 times, with Smith accounting for three hurries and Simpson adding a solo sack.
The linebackers also forced the issue. Nicholas Rodriguez and Dante McClellan each caused a fumble in a game where Arkansas gave it away four times.
Rodriguez led Missouri with nine tackles, and McClellan and Jeremiah Beasley each finished with five. Rodriguez, Beasley and Robert Woodyard Jr. all played key roles in slowing the Razorbacks on the ground, with each landing among Missouri’s top seven PFF run defense grades.
The secondary was still the shakier part of the defense. Trajen Greco did grab an early interception after a tip from Chris Graves Jr., but Arkansas still moved the ball through the air, with Jackson throwing for 229 yards. Missouri also gave up a 37-yard deep ball that set up Arkansas’ only score, and the coverage issues showed up even without the Razorbacks’ top receiver, Chris Marshall, who has 633 receiving yards this season.
Special teams were mostly quiet because of the weather and the way the game unfolded. Blake Craig was perfect, hitting all four extra points and converting field goals from 31 and a season-long 53 yards.
Missouri didn’t have any returns in the rain, and with four touchdowns and two field goals, the Tigers only punted twice. Brunno Reus handled those two punts for 60 total yards, which kept that part of the grade from rising any higher.
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Missouris backcourt took an unexpected hit just as the season is about to begin, with transfer guard CJ Gunn ruled ineligible by the Southeastern Conference after earning money from a signed professional contract in May. Head coach Dennis Gates confirmed the situation, and the Tigers now have to finalize their roster without Gunn ahead of the opener, a setback for a team that had been counting on added depth in the perimeter rotation.
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Missouri Just Set Up A Bigger Test Than Fans Expected
Missouris climb into the No. 19 spot in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25 is the latest sign that the Tigers have turned a solid start into something more meaningful. At 6-2 overall and 3-2 in SEC play after the win over Arkansas, they benefited from a chaotic week around the country, with several ranked teams taking losses and reshuffling the polls ahead of Week 10.
Now the attention shifts to a much tougher measuring stick. Missouri is headed into a matchup with Texas, which sits at No. 10, and that gives the Tigers a chance to see whether this rise is just the product of a crowded rankings week or the start of something sturdier. The full Top 25 lists only sharpen the backdrop, but the next game will tell the bigger story. [Read more 🡒]