Mizzou Tigers are off to football start unmatched since 1935: grades vs. Buffalo

Make that 89 points for the Missouri Tigers football team through two weeks of the 2024 season, all while holding Murray State and now Buffalo scoreless.

Mizzou was ranked No. 9 nationally and is likely to move up the AP poll after Saturday’s 38-0 victory over the Bulls at Memorial Stadium.

Here are grades for the Tigers’ Week 2 win, as well as our player of the game:

Mizzou offense

QB Brady Cook did throw his first interception of the season, but he certainly got the job done — with a flair of creativity, no less.

Cook didn’t pass for a touchdown Saturday but he scored two with his legs. His 62 yards rushing included a 31-yard scamper for a TD. In all, the Tigers rolled up 255 yards and five TDs via the ground game.

Cook threw for 228 yards despite losing star WR Luther Burden (illness) late in the first half.

“Very efficient,” MU coach Eli Drinkwitz said of Cook. “Does a really nice job of tucking it and running it when we need to ... I’m pleased with where we’re at. We’re not clicking at 100% just yet, so that’s good news, man.”

The Tigers had 518 yards of total offense. If there’s a quibble, it might be that Mizzou led just 3-0 at the end of the first quarter. Southeastern Conference opponents won’t be so forgiving.

Grade: B+

Mizzou defense

It was, simply put, a historic night for the Tigers’ defense.

It’s the first time since 1935 that Mizzou has opened its season with back-to-back shutouts. It’s also now been three straight games since MU has allowed a touchdown, last surrendering one to Arkansas in the final week of the 2023 season.

The Tigers held the Bulls to 169 yards of total offense. The defensive unit sacked Buffalo QB C.J. Ogbonna three times and safety Marvin Burks Jr. picked him off for his first career interception. There wasn’t much more that one could ask for from Saturday night’s performance.

Grade: A

Mizzou special teams

Kicker Blake Craig didn’t have the easiest mission: The box score will tell you that he made just one of three attempts, but all three were tries from at least 49 yards (the misses were from 49 and 52). His lone field goal was a 51-yarder, proof that the redshirt freshman certainly has the leg to make those kicks. He’s still getting comfortable as the starter (and did make all five of his PAT attempts).

Luke Bauer looked good on two punts, including one that pinned Buffalo inside its own 4-yard line.

Grade: B+

Improvement needed: penalties

The Tigers tallied 10 penalties for 80 yards against Illinois. One of them resulted in a touchdown being called back (in the third quarter, after a face-mask flag).

“The frustrating thing for us offensively was we weren’t able to sustain drives because of penalties,” Drinkwitz said. “Just (still some) things we’ve got to clean up.”

Player of the game

With Luther Burden limited by illness Saturday, fellow MU wideout Theo Wease stepped up and got his flowers. In fact, he had a career night: Wease rolled up 149 yards in 13 catches, including a 39-yarder.

“I was just trying to maximize every opportunity I got,” Wease said.