How the Missouri Tigers’ College Football Playoff hopes took a hit in Tuscaloosa

In a matchup laden with Southeastern Conference and College Football Playoff implications, No. 21 Mizzou disappointed in falling 34-0 Saturday afternoon at No. 15 Alabama.

The MU defense, despite a valiant effort early on, could not make up for the Tigers’ overall offensive dysfunction. For the second straight game, quarterback Brady Cook left early with an injury.

And this time, he was unable to return.

“Proud of our defense and the way they fought,” Mizzou coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “I thought they gave us an opportunity to stay in the game, especially in the first half.”

The Tigers’ defense did keep Missouri within striking distance for much of the first half, permitting just six points — on two field goals from Crimson Tide kicker Graham Nicholson — until backup quarterback Drew Pyne replaced Cook with 4:58 left in the second quarter.

Up to that point, Missouri had held Alabama to just 122 total yards, with those two field goals and no touchdowns.

“I thought we did exactly what we wanted,” Drinkwitz said of the early showing. “We were winning first downs; we were stopping the run; we were setting edges and getting off the field on third down.”

In relief, though, Pyne threw an interception on his first pass attempt of the game, a turnover that the Crimson Tide capitalized on three plays later with a 3-yard TD run by Jamarion Miller.

That pushing ‘Bama’s lead to 13-0 with 1:54 left in the first half. Pyne’s entrance and ensuing interception all but signaled doom for the Tigers’ defense, which struggled to contain the Tide the rest of the way.

“Coach (Corey) Batoon and the defensive staff had a really good plan,” Drinkwitz said.”Ultimately, it was 6-0, but, you know, you can’t throw that interception right there before half. It just spiraled after that.”

Before that first touchdown, though, MU’s defense was stout. Johnny Walker Jr. led the way with two sacks in the first half.

It’s the first time the fifth-year defensive end tallied multiple sacks in a game.

“I felt like we had them where we wanted them,” Walker said. “We’ve been in spots like that before. I felt like the defense would have to take over and eventually score knowing that our quarterback was out. But we didn’t get it done today.”

Both of Walker’s sacks were timely, with each coming on third down. With 1:23 left in the first quarter, he burst through the offensive line and wrapped up Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe for a loss of 5 yards, forcing a Crimson Tide punt.

On the next drive, when Alabama’s offense faced a third-and-16, Walker got to Milroe once again for a sack, this time for a loss of 6 yards.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Walker finished with four tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss. His season sacks total is now at four, one shy of his career high, which he set last year.

“(At halftime, it was) 13-0. I mean they had 56 yards rushing, and we were pressuring the quarterback” Walker said. “I feel like the whole defense wasn’t thinking, but that made us play fast.”

Alabama received the second half-kickoff and the Tigers didn’t seem to play with the same defensive intensity. The Tide marched 80 yards on six plays to open the half, capping the drive with Milroe’s TD run. That pushed Alabama’s lead to 20-0.

On their only other TD drive that did not begin with a Pyne interception, the Tide pieced together a five-play, 77-yard march that ended with a 35-yard scoring run by Justice Hayes.

Pyne threw interceptions on each of Missouri’s first two second-half drives, setting Milroe and company up on their own 27-yard line and 35-yard lines.

On the drive that started at Alabama’s 27, MU’s defense stood tall. The Tigers forced Milroe into three straight incompletions, resulting in a three-and-out and punt.

The Tigers’ defense rested for just over one minute of game time before being called upon again when Pyne threw his third picl with 6:57 to go in the third quarter.

This time, Mizzou’s defense had no answers.

Alabama waltzed down the field with little resistance, needing just five plays to cover 65 yards. The efficient drive ended with an 11-yard touchdown run by Jamarion Miller, his second of the day.

Alabama piled up 486 total yards. The Tide racked up 271 on the ground — and 213 of those in the second half. Alabama rushed for four TDs on 37 attempts, averaging 7.3 yards per carry.

Alabama running back Jamarion Miller carried it 11 times for 48 yards and two touchdowns; running back Justice Haynes ran eight times for 79 yards and a TD; and quarterback Milroe finished with 11 carries for 50 yards and a score.

Missouri defensive tackle Sterling Webb finished with one tackle for loss, while safety Joseph Charleston, defensive back Daylan Carnell, linebacker Triston Newson and defensive end Zion Young each tallied half-tackles for loss.

Safety Marvin Burks Jr. led MU with 10 tackles.

“(Drinkwitz) is proud of us,” Walker said. “I don’t think anybody gave up. We just kept fighting and kept pushing. That’s really it.”

Copyright 2024 Columbia Missourian.