The No. 24 Missouri Tigers faced the Oklahoma Sooners in a matchup touted as a “renewed rivalry,” as the former Big 12 team faced Missouri for the first time as an SEC team.

The game was tied 16-16 late in the fourth quarter and the ball was in Missouri’s possession when the Tigers made a catastrophic error. Jamal Roberts fumbled the ball at the 40-yard line and it was picked up by Oklahoma safety Billy Bowman Jr., who returned the fumble all the way for a touchdown. 

The play seemed as though it would be the nail in the coffin for Missouri. However, trailing by one score with less than two minutes remaining, Drew Pyne and the offense mounted a furious comeback, highlighted by a 33-yard completion to Luther Burden III on a third down with 16 yards to go. Two plays later, Pyne found former Oklahoma receiver Theo Wease Jr. in the corner of the end zone for an incredible touchdown, tying the game at 23-23. 

Overtime seemed inevitable as the Sooners took over with 1:03 left in the quarter. However, when Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold scrambled to his right on second down, Triston Newson forced a fumble. Zion Young was there to recover the fumble and take it back 17 yards for a touchdown. 

Faurot Field erupted as the Missouri fans realized the team had likely clinched the win. The electric ending seemed like an impossibility after the game started slowly. 

Neither team was able to score on their first two drives to start the game. The Sooners strung together field goals on back-to-back possessions and the Tigers followed suit with three points of their own. 

The end of the first half was a microcosm of Missouri’s recent offensive struggles. Trailing 6-3, the Tigers had the ball on its own 15-yard line with 2:02 remaining in the half — with Brady Cook under center, they would almost certainly look to push ahead for points. However, with Cook sidelined due to injury and Pyne starting, their play calls were conservative.

Even after getting near midfield, the Tigers continued to run the ball, eventually punting amidst a chorus of boos from its own fans. A late hit penalty on the return put the Sooners at the 49-yard line and a slant pass conceded allowed for the visitors to add to their lead, making a field goal as time expired for a 9-3 lead. 

However, things began to click for the offense in the second half. Pyne had a fantastic performance, totaling eight completions for 120 yards and three touchdowns to far outshine his 23-yard performance in the first half. A 13-yard screen pass to Wease in the third quarter and a five-yard pass to tight end Brett Norfleet in the fourth marked Pyne’s first two touchdown passes as a Tiger. He was noticeably fired up as Norfleet’s score gave Missouri a 16-9 lead. 

Pyne’s performance remained at a high level at the end of the fourth quarter. Wease Jr’s second receiving touchdown came from a perfectly placed pass and the senior wideout was able to get a single foot inbounds for the score. 

The Tigers continued to rely heavily on its rushing attack to make up for Cook’s absence in the backfield. Roberts, Marcus Carroll and Nate Noel split the workload, carrying 36 times for 110 yards as a collective. Pyne also contributed on the ground, scrambling eight times for 15 yards, including a third down conversion on the drive that ended with Norfleet’s touchdown. 

Missouri’s defense was a bright spot for most of the night. Corey Flagg Jr. led the way with 14 tackles and three separate Tigers recovered fumbles. However, with a seven point lead in the final minutes, the Sooners pulled off a trick play, sneaking a reverse pass to Arnold, tying the game at 16-16. Despite giving up that play, the Tigers defense was able to hold Oklahoma the rest of the way.

Daylan Carnell dropped a potentially game-changing pick six in the third quarter, but made up for it with a forced fumble in the fourth. The defensive back unit played an excellent game, holding Arnold to 74 yards and zero passing touchdowns. The defense’s stout performance was part of what sealed the victory for Missouri. 

The Tigers will follow up the win by playing South Carolina in a road game at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16.

Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com

Copyedited by Hannah Taylor | htaylor@themaneater.com 

Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com