It took only 12 seconds and two plays for senior running back Tyler Badie to find the end zone.
After sophomore quarterback Connor Bazelak connected with senior wide receiver Boo Smith for 63 yards on the first play from scrimmage, Badie took his first handoff from Bazelak and raced into the corner of the north zone of Faurot Field from 12 yards out.
An auspicious beginning kick-started his best performance as a Tiger. He set new career-highs with 203 yards on 25 carries, and a touchdown both on the ground and through the air. His previous best had been 79 yards last season against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
“Tyler’s an electric player, I’m really proud of him,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “He did a nice job [and] made us go today, and we obviously know that he’s one of those guys that we got to do a great job finding ways for him to touch the football.”
Badie’s 8 carries for 49 yards in the first half topped all but one game from last season.
The entire team gained 205 yards on the ground. Backup sophomore running back Elijah Young made the most of his opportunities and scored from 32 yards out to put the Tigers up 24-14. Young finished with 29 yards on 5 carries playing in the second-string role Badie played in the past three seasons.
Badie caught three of Bazelak’s passes for 40 yards and a score. In 2019, he led Missouri with 32 receptions and was second on the team with 356 yards.
In the second quarter, Badie took a short pass from Bazelak and used his speed to reach the end zone from 30 yards out, tying the game at 14-14 with 2:25 left in the second quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Tigers played keep away from the Chippewas, methodically driving down the field while pounding the ball with Badie. He showed patience by following his blockers and finding the right hole to run through. On their first drive in the fourth quarter, Badie carried the ball 5 times for 50 yards.
This set up a Bazelak touchdown pass to junior tight end Niko Hea, which gave the Tigers a more comfortable 10-point lead.
“It’s just being available for my teammates,” Badie said. “I know a lot of times they look upon me to do different things, just being there for them and just knowing that it’s not just about me — it’s about the team.”
Bazelak said that he thinks Badie is a special player and a great piece of the offense.
“[Badie] knew that we were going to have to rely on him this year,” Bazelak said when asked about Badie’s contributions. “Anytime we can get him the ball in the run game or out in the open field in the passing game, good things are going to happen.”
The senior put the game on ice with a 69-yard rush with under two minutes to play, putting him over the 200 total yard mark. This put the Tigers in field goal range for sophomore kicker Harrison Mevis, who connected on a 44-yard field goal to put the game out of reach.
Badie said he feels good after his great performance, but said he’s has a lot more to give throughout the season as the Tigers look to build off of this victory.
“I’m a little disappointed in myself,” Badie said. “I know we won and that’s the end goal of the team, but personally I feel I left a lot of yards on the field. It’s definitely good to get my feet wet early, and keep it going throughout the season.”
Edited by Mason Arneson | marneson@themaneater.com