What Faurot Field lacked in people on Saturday, Missouri made up for with points. In front of a small crowd, the Tigers scored 79 points, the most they have scored in a game since 1890. Missouri improved to 2-2 with the dominant victory over Delaware State.
**Payment pays off**
Missouri bought itself a victory when it scheduled Delaware State.
The Tigers paid Delaware State University $525,000 to play in this game, and Missouri came away happy — both on offense and defense — with its purchase.
Missouri forced four turnovers, which included Michael Scherer’s first career interception. The defense added three sacks and six tackles-for-loss in the shutout.
When the Tigers’ defense gave its offense the ball, they made the most of the opportunity. The Missouri offense finished with 698 yards, just short of the school-record 744 against Western Illinois in 2011.
The Tigers’ offense included a 400-yard passer in Drew Lock, a 100-yard rusher in Damarea Crockett and three 100-yard receivers in J’Mon Moore, Dimetrios Mason and Emanuel Hall.
“It really got our confidence up knowing we could do whatever we wanted,” Hall said.
The Tigers will need this confidence in a place that can quickly shrink it as they head to Death Valley to face No. 18 Louisiana State in its Homecoming game next Saturday.
**Delaware State wants to see no more of Moore**
By the time the Hornets left Faurot Field, they wanted to see no more of J’Mon Moore.
Moore caught eight passes for 114 yards and four touchdowns to help Missouri gain a 58-0 lead in the first half. His four touchdowns tied the school record set by Dorial Green-Beckham in 2013.
Moore might have set the record had he played in the second half, but coach Barry Odom elected to sit many of his starters.
Between last week’s loss to Georgia and the first half against Delaware State, Moore has caught 16 passes for 310 yards and six touchdowns.
When he walked out of Faurot Field last Saturday, he had just fumbled in the final minute of the game, which sealed the victory for Georgia. He left the game against Delaware State in much better spirits.
“He was definitely determined,” Hall said. “When things like that happen, it definitely hurts you mentally.”
Lock said Moore handled his preparation differently this week, bringing his “hard hat” to practice. With Moore as one of the only upperclassmen at wide receiver, it was important for him to show the young receivers how to respond to adversity in the previous game.
“He’s more mature than he has ever been, and I am proud of him,” Odom said.
**Delaware State can’t catch a break (or a touchdown)**
Whenever a play appeared to go the Hornets’ way, it didn’t stay that way.
When Delaware State intercepted Lock in the first quarter, an offsides call on the defense nullified it. When Mason fumbled the ball in the first half, the Tigers recovered it.
Missouri never allowed the Hornets to have any hope at any point on Saturday, which stemmed from their not looking at Delaware State like the FCS school it is.
“You have to play like you’re playing LSU or you’re playing Georgia,” Hall said. “No matter what the other team’s jersey says, you’ve got to come out here like it is another SEC team, and that’s what we did.”
_Edited by Peter Baugh | pbaugh@themaneater.com_
