For the second consecutive week, Missouri threw the first punch.
And the second. And the third.
The Tigers improved to 2-1 with a 50-0 win over Southeast Missouri State at home. Missouri remains undefeated at Memorial Stadium on the year.
“There are some lessons from tonight that we’ll take with us and also understand that that’s the way that should have started,” coach Barry Odom said. “They did the things they were supposed to do.”
Junior Larry Rountree lll did the heavy lifting on the first drive of the game. He rushed for 77 yards on the drive and gave Missouri an early 7-0 lead. Rountree finished with 142 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.
“We set the tone,” Rountree said. “Coming out, you wanna set a pace of ‘we’re gonna run this ball down your throat.’ When we came out and ran the ball, it was perfect.”
Last week against West Virginia, sophomore linebacker Nick Bolton returned an interception for a touchdown. On Southeast Missouri’s opening drive, senior Cale Garett joined in on the Missouri pick-six party, taking quarterback Daniel Santacaterina’s second pass to the end zone. The last time Missouri had a pick-six in back-to-back games was in 2008.
“If we have the mentality that we had tonight and approaching every drive like its a new opportunity, I think that’s what’s best for us,” Garrett said.
Tight end Albert Okwuegbunam extended the Tiger lead to 20-0 after catching his third touchdown of the season. The redshirt junior finished with 24 yards receiving on the evening.
Redshirt senior Richaud Floyd tacked on another first quarter touchdown when he returned a Southeastern Missouri punt for 71 yards.
“When I hit the sideline, I saw a sea of black, all my teammates in front of me,” Floyd said. “Then, I saw the punter and I was like, ‘I made it this far, I can’t get tackled by the punter.’ All I was thinking [was] ‘get in the end zone.’”
A second Rountree touchdown and a McCann 44-yard field goal put Missouri ahead 37-0 at the half.
Quarterback Kelly Bryant completed 15 of 20 passes on the game with one touchdown after not playing much of the second half.
“It felt good,” Bryant said. “The protection was great all night. Receivers running great routes, and I just had to get it out there and give them a chance.
In the second half, senior Tucker McCann kicked 42 and 52-yard field goals and sophomore Tyler Badie ran for a touchdown.
Missouri plays South Carolina in its first conference game of the year next Saturday at 3 p.m.
_Edited by Wilson Moore | wmoore@themaneater.com_