The No. 19 Missouri Tigers went on the road and defeated the University of Massachusetts Minutemen 45-3. The offense was effective on the ground and in the air with 461 total yards, and the defense came up with big plays by forcing two turnovers. 

The star of the game was running back Marcus Carroll, who carried 15 times for 91 yards and three touchdowns. In the third quarter, Carroll exploded for a 35-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers a 28-point lead. Carroll took the majority of touches as fellow back Nate Noel did not play with a late injury designation of back tightness. 

Missouri’s biggest defensive play came from linebacker Corey Flagg Jr., who picked off UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh at the 5-yard line with 23 seconds left in the first half and returned the interception 80 yards. The takeaway set up a last-second field goal as kicker Blake Craig gave the Tigers a 24-3 lead going into halftime. 

Wide receiver Luther Burden III made his mark on the second play of the day with a 61-yard touchdown run to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead less than a minute into the game. The projected first-round pick pulled in five receptions for 59 yards along with his long rushing touchdown and showed off his remarkable shiftiness, routinely shaking off tacklers. However, Burden left the game early in the third quarter with an upper-body injury after taking a big hit on a crossing route.

Joshua Manning stepped up in Burden’s absence, taking a short pass 63 yards for a touchdown. As the third quarter was coming to a close, Brett Norfleet caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Brady Cook. The touchdowns were the first of the season for both receivers, and Cook’s day was over as Drew Pyne subbed into the game. 

Missouri’s run defense was shaky in the first half, allowing 5.4 yards per carry to a UMass rushing attack that entered the game averaging only 3.2. The unsteady run defense was put on display when UMass ran for 78 yards on their last drive of the first half, thanks to a 39-yard rush on a fake punt. In the second half, Missouri’s defense stepped up, holding the Minutemen to only 4 rushing yards. 

The victory brings Missouri to a 5-1 record, giving them a big win after the 31-point loss to Texas A&M. The game was their last non-conference matchup, as the Tigers now enter the main stretch of their schedule. Missouri will face the Auburn Tigers for the Homecoming game at 11 a.m. on Oct. 19, at Faurot Field. 

Edited by Dylan Heinrich | dheinrich@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com