The Missouri Tigers steam rolled Murray State in their season opener on Thursday night, defeating them by a score of 51-0. In front of a sell out crowd, the Tigers put together a quick start, scoring 21 points in under six minutes of action. This was capped off by a Toriano Pride pick-six that sent the stadium into a frenzy.
Missouri came into the contest as 50-point favorites, and they didn't disappoint. Offensively, there was no real "star" performance, as it was a team effort all around. Five different players scored offensive touchdowns, including Brady Cook, Nate Noel, Marcus Carroll, Luther Burden, and Jamal Roberts.
The win was dominant, which is exactly what Coach Drinkwitz was looking for. Despite a bit of sloppy play in the second quarter, Missouri moved the ball down field at will. They showed off their depth, and made a statement for not just the present, but also the future.
1-0#MIZ | #STP pic.twitter.com/dSQmoTkqIb
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) August 30, 2024
The skill-position players all looked impressive, with both the running back and wide receiver rooms showcasing a tremendous amount of depth.
Luther Burden had a quiet game, after scoring a touchdown on the first drive, the star wide receiver tallied just three receptions for 39 yards. Granted, Burden did not see the field for the last 22 minutes of game time. It will be interesting to see if they make it a focus to get him involved more in the coming weeks.
Missouri will host Buffalo at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 7th. This will be another game where Missouri should be heavy favorites, but Buffalo will provide more of a contest for the Tigers. Until then, the team can breathe a sigh of relief after starting the season with a dominant performance.