Missouri ended its two-game losing streak on Nov. 15, defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs 49-27. The Tigers moved to 7-3 on the season following the win in their last home game of the season.
Ahmad Hardy masterclass
Few players can impact a game for Mizzou like sophomore running back Ahmad Hardy can. Hardy went for a career best 300 yards on 25 carries, picking up three touchdowns as well. His longest carry of the night came in the third quarter when he went 72 yards for a touchdown. This performance puts him second for single game rushing yards in Mizzou football history.
“Tonight, I just tried to run by guys. I didn’t try to, like, run them over,” Hardy said.
Defense dominates
Whether it be the fearsome front seven or winning the turnover battle, the Mizzou defense gave the Bulldogs trouble all night long. Redshirt junior defensive end Darris Smith headlined the Tigers’ pass rush as he collected two of the five sacks Mizzou had in the game. Mizzou also had 13 tackles for loss in the game, three credited to Smith.
The Tigers had three takeaways in the game, with two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Both interceptions by Mizzou were pick sixes, one by senior cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. and the other by junior safety Marvin Burks Jr.
Less possessions, no problem
In most circumstances, winning the possession battle by well over 10 minutes is a strong step towards a win. Yet for the Bulldogs, that wasn’t the case. Mizzou ran 35 fewer plays, yet outscored Mississippi State by 22 points. Part of the reason for this was the two defensive scores the Tigers produced, but another part was big plays on offense.
Opening the game, Missouri completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Donovan Olugbode, but it didn’t end there. The very next drive, junior wide receiver Joshua Manning made another huge play en route to a 34-yard touchdown. In the rushing game, Hardy collected both a 72-yard touchdown and a 43-yard touchdown, creating even more explosiveness for the Tigers’ offense.
Mizzou hits the road for a matchup against an old rival in the 8-2 Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 11 a.m.