Mizzou Football blanks Murray State in dominant fashion to start the season 1-0

Expectations have never been higher, and the spotlight has never been brighter for the up-and-coming Missouri Tigers. From the opening kickoff to the final play, they never backed down. Despite losing their starting running back and several key pieces on defense from last year’s historic season, there was no sign of a talent drop-off.

Mizzou found the end zone three times within the first six minutes of game time. The defense set the tone early, creating excellent field position for two of the first three drives, while the third resulted in a pick-six.

The defense exceeded expectations, particularly after losing five starters to the NFL Draft this offseason. They delivered a complete 60-minute shutout, keeping Murray State out of the red zone and allowing only 4 of 15 third-down conversions. Murray State managed just 85 yards of total offense.

Additionally, six different players recorded tackles for loss (TFL) during Thursday night’s contest, with the defense also adding two sacks. One of the defensive standouts was junior transfer Chris McClellan, who joined from Florida last season. He was a nightmare for the Racers' offensive line, dominating the backfield and starting the year strong with a TFL, a sack, and a forced fumble—all in less than three quarters of play.

Senior quarterback Brady Cook performed as expected. Although he missed a couple of potential big-play deep balls, he played a clean game and looked even more composed than last season. In just over a half of play, he completed 19 of 30 passes for over 200 yards and a touchdown. Cook also capped off the first half with a 2-yard rushing touchdown as time expired—a bold play that highlights the trust fifth-year coach Eli Drinkwitz has in him.

Veteran receivers Maquis Johnson and Theo Wease contributed with a few catches each, both surpassing 30 yards. On the ground, transfer backs Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll made a consistent impact, combining for over 80 yards and each scoring their first touchdown as Tigers.

It wasn’t until the backups began entering the game that it became clear who had a limited role: projected top-5 NFL Draft pick Luther Burden III. The superstar wideout wasn’t heavily involved aside from an early score. Burden had his only rushing attempt on the first play of the game and was comfortably involved in the passing game during the opening drive. However, after the initial drive of the season, he recorded just two more catches for an additional 23 yards—which was far from his best performance.

It’s hard to nitpick a team after a performance like this. It’s encouraging to see so many new and returning players make an impact in game one, where they shut out their opponent and covered a 47.5-point spread. The 1-0 Buffalo Bulls come to Columbia a week from Saturday, and Mizzou will be looking to cruise to another lopsided victory.