The battered and bruised Tigers were shut out in their SEC road test against the Crimson Tide.
The No. 15 Alabama Crimson Tide overpowered the injury-prone No. 21 Missouri Tigers 34-0 on Saturday. Missouri’s loss likely dashes any remaining hope for a College Football Playoff bid.
The Tigers’ midweek injury report was flooded with several key players missing practice. Among the tattered was quarterback Brady Cook.
Questions about Cook’s participation circulated throughout the week as he still had an ankle injury that knocked him out of the Tigers’ Week 8 game against Auburn.
The Tigers opened the contest with Cook taking the snaps at quarterback. Missouri’s fate was a three-and-out that would look familiar to Tigers fans who tuned into its most recent defeat. Missouri’s only loss of the season prior to Alabama came at the hands of Texas A&M, where the Tigers converted on only 5-for-15 third down attempts.
Missouri saw similar third-down struggles in Tuscaloosa, converting at a poor 3-for-13 rate in the game.
The Alabama offense struck first with a 47-yard field goal. The Tigers’ following drive concluded with Cook injuring his throwing hand after contact with an Alabama defender’s helmet.
Missouri forced two consecutive Alabama three-and-outs while also pinning the Crimson Tide inside its own 10-yard line on two punts in a row.
Missouri senior defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. shined in the early stages of the game, recording two sacks in the first half.
“All I can do from being team captain is keeping the team together to keep us together and keep us fighting,” said Walker in a post-game press conference.
Halfway through the second quarter, the game took an ugly turn for Missouri.
The Crimson Tide broke its cold stretch with a 39-yard drive and another field goal, taking a 6-0 lead.
Cook fought through the hand injury for multiple possessions but was later taken back to the locker room. Senior quarterback Drew Pyne, who took over in Cook’s absence against Auburn, stepped up to the plate once again.
Alabama immediately had an answer for Pyne, intercepting his first pass attempt. The Crimson Tide capitalized on the turnover with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe connecting with wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. for a 28-yard gain down to the Missouri three-yard-line. Running back Jam Miller finished off the drive with a rushing score, giving the Crimson Tide a 13-0 halftime lead.
Milroe flashed his dual-threat capabilities to open the second half. He accounted for all 80 of Alabama’s yards, including a nine-yard score on a quarterback keeper.
With the game slipping away, Pyne stepped in once again, with Cook being ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Pyne responded with his second interception of the day. The defense rallied to stop the Crimson Tide, granting the offense great field position at its own 41-yard line. On the third play of the drive, Pyne dropped back to pass, tossing his third interception of the game.
A 28-yard rush from running back Justice Haynes set up Miller for another rushing touchdown, giving the Crimson Tide a 27-0 lead late in the third quarter.
Alabama scored its final points with Haynes rumbling down the field for a highlight reel touchdown run as the game was all but over.
“Proud of the defense, the way they came out and fought,” Eliah Drinkwitz, Missouri Head Coach said. “They gave us an opportunity to stay in the game, especially in the first half.”
Cook and Pyne only managed to complete 13 passes on 24 attempts for 72 yards. The run game carried the offensive load.
In the absence of starting running back Nate Noel, Marcus Carroll and Jamal Roberts garnered solid production. Carroll led the way 80 yards with Roberts close behind, setting a new career high with 71 yards.
“I thought Marcus and Jamal did as good a job as they could do,” Drinkwitz said. “Really ran tough.”
In a single week’s time, the Tigers celebrated a monumental victory and grieved an agonizing defeat, but plenty of opportunity remains ahead.
Missouri has a bye week ahead of its rivalry renewal with the Oklahoma Sooners. The Tigers will play host to the Sooners as the two teams face off for the first time since 2011.
“There’s four SEC games left,” Drinkwitz said. “There’s a lot of football season left, and we just got to get home, get healthy and flush this one and move on to the next one.”
The former Big 12 foes will face off on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Faurot Field.
Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com Copyedited by
Hannah Taylor |htaylor@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com