2024-09-15 07:30:03
Luther Burden III was a different kind of sick this week.
No. 6/8-ranked Missouri football defeated No. 24/NR Boston College 27-21 on Saturday in front of a sold-out Memorial Stadium in Columbia, but the Tigers needed some Burden-inspired magic — and little bit of help to get to that point — to get there.
On a third-and-4 with time ticking away in the first half and his team down a touchdown, Burden put the video game moves on, juking one, slipping another and powering between two more to get in the end zone from 19 yards. The Tigers went for 2, and Nate Noel carried it in from wildcat.
The touchdown came three plays after safety Tre’Vez Johnson picked off BC quarterback Thomas Castellanos’ ill-advised throw into double coverage.
The momentum had flipped.
Placekicker Blake Craig made a 55-yarder to give MU the lead at the half. Brady Cook ran a weaving run into the end zone on the first drive on the other side of the half.
The Tigers cruised from there.
Up until the Burden magic, Boston College was causing problems, and Mizzou (3-0) was too busy shooting itself in the foot to solve ‘em.
Busted coverage let Castellanos recover a botched snap and toss a 67-yard touchdown to Reed Harris to give BC a two-score, first-half lead. BC (2-1) put up the first points scored against the MU defense this season with 12-yard pass on fourth-and-4 to Jerand Bradley — a drive sustained by a personal foul on what would have been a third-and-long stop.
The Tigers cleaned that up post-pick, with the lone exception more busted coverage on a fourth-quarter touchdown that made the final few minutes a little bit nervy.
Cook finished 21-of-30 for 264 yards. Burden finished with six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
That all adds up to 3-0 for Missouri, which passed its biggest test of the young season.
This section will be updated when the game begins.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | ||
| Boston College | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 21 |
| Missouri | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 27 | 27 |
2:50 p.m.: Cook salts it with a third-down run. It’s kneeling time.
2:45 p.m.: Huge play on third-and-7 from Cook to Burden. It’s the two-minute warning, and Mizzou has the ball with a new set of downs in a one-score game thanks to that play.
2:41 p.m.: Touchdown Boston College. More busted coverage on a 38-yard throw to a wide open Kamari Morales. It’s a one-score game with 3:45 to play.
2:32 p.m.: Mizzou decides not to go for a third fourth-down, instead bringing out Blake Craig for a 31-yard field goal, which he converts. Missouri 27, Boston College 14 with 5:58 to play in Columbia.
2:29 p.m.: Another fourth-down completion for Mizzou — Cook to Wease. The Tigers are in the red zone, and burning some serious clock on this drive.
2:26 p.m.: Mizzou keeps the offense on the field for fourth down. The pass goes incomplete. But a flag saves Missouri from a turnover on downs. Pass interference from Khari Johnston.
2:22 p.m.: Cook takes a shot at Burden at the goal line on third-and-4 from the 37, but the pass is just overthrown. Mizzou briefly left the offense on the field for fourth down, but ended up spending a timeout. Could be Blake Craig territory.
2:16 p.m.: Missouri cornerback Dreyden Norwood has his first interception of the season, picking off Thomas Castellanos for the second pick from the Tigers’ defense of the day. After the mess that was the last offensive series, that was incredible timing from the corner.
2:09 p.m.: Mizzou just had four penalties called against it in the space of just a few minutes, which brought around a 2nd and 59. Yes, 59. Nate Noel gets some of that back before the quarter ends, but when the game returns it’s third-and-34.
2:01 p.m.: Boston College offense fell apart over the next three plays. Khalil Jacobs broke through for a huge second-down sack. BC then had a false start to make it third-and-forever, which the Eagles did not convert. The punt goes out at about the Mizzou 40. Missouri’s defense has been fantastic since the second-quarter pick.
1:59 p.m.: Well, the timeout works. Boston College moves the chains with a pass to Jeremiah Franklin.
1:58 p.m.: Boston College takes a timeout on third-and-10 from inside its own 20. Tigers defense is doing its job here. Interesting spot to spend a timeout.
1:45 p.m.: Missouri’s defense gets Boston College three-and-out. Johnny Walker Jr. with a tone-setting TFL on Kye Robichaux, included. MU offense is coming back out shortly.
1:40 p.m.: Brady Cook, touchdown. A weaving, tackle-avoiding keeper from the QB, and Mizzou extends its lead on the first drive of the second half. Missouri 24, Boston College 14.
1:38 p.m.: Luther Burden is doing Luther Burden things again. A 38-yard catch and run on a wheel route gets MU into the red zone.
1:35 p.m.: Third-and-medium, no problem for Brady Cook, who finds Theo Wease for 13 yards. Tigers moving.
1:34 p.m.: Second half underway at Memorial. There was a definite change in momentum there at the end of the first. Let’s see if that carries over.
Mizzou starts with the ball.
1:13 p.m.: Blake Craig sends Mizzou into the half with a lead, converting a 55-yard field goal that legitimately might have been good from 70.
In the 46 seconds it had left in the half when it got the ball, Mizzou’s offense went from its own 8 to the BC37. Craig did the rest. Missouri up 17-14.
1:08 p.m.: Missouri’s defense forces the BC offense off the field just outside of field goal range. Punt drops inside the 10. Mizzou has 46 seconds to conjure some magic, but also will get the ball first in the second half.
12:58 p.m.: Missouri capitalizes, and guess who? Luther Burden gets a pass on third-and-medium, makes a man miss in the way only Luther Burden can and then drives between two more to get into the end zone.
Mizzou goes for 2, and Nate Noel takes it into the end zone from wildcat, faking a handoff to Brady Cook. Tied ballgame in Columbia with 3:04 left in the half.
12:54 p.m.: A massive moment for the Missouri defense it met. Thomas Castellanos throws it deep into coverage, and Missouri safety Tre’Vez Johnson is there to pick it off. Mizzou takes over at the BC 25-yard line.
12:49 p.m.: Field goal Missouri. Blake Craig converts a 38-yarder. Another Mizzou drive stalls out in BC territory, and the number of unforced errors the Tigers are making is concerning. A dropped pass by Mookie Cooper; a botched snap from Connor Tollison to a not-so-ready Brady Cook; unsportsmanlike conduct on Jospeh Charleston after the BC punt … It all adds up to unideal, and the Tigers are down 14-6 with 4:54 remaining in the half.
12:44 p.m.: Missouri finds Luther Burden III on a 44-yard catch and run. It was very nearly picked, but that doesn’t matter now. Mizzou into BC territory.
12:37 p.m.: A botched snap to Castellanos has turned into a 67-yard touchdown to Reed Harris. The QB threw one over the top once he recovered the ball on the ground, and Mizzou’s coverage was completely busted. Eagles lead 14-3. The play was briefly reviewed but eventually confirmed.
12:31 p.m.: Missouri’s second offensive drive stalls out at midfield. There appeared to be a missed defensive pass interference call on Theo Wease Jr. along the left sideline. Two plays later, Cook overthrew Mookie Cooper on 3rd-and-6 and Mizzou brought out the punt team.
12:25 p.m.: A poor punt goes out at the 22. Missouri runs Nate Noel again, and he takes it for a new first down. He has three carries and 42 rushing yards.
12:24 p.m.: Mizzou’s defense blows up a third-and-4 run, and BC will punt. That was a big stop for the Tigers.
12:21 p.m.: End of the first quarter, and it’s Boston College 7, Missouri 3. Missouri’s rush attack showed some signs of life through Nate Noel, but the drive stalled out and the Tigers settled for a field goal. Boston College are doing exactly what was expected. Running it often and letting Castellanos run free. Two careless penalties have sustained drives, but BC held the ball for 10:18 in that first quarter.
When the game returns, Boston College has a third-and-4 at midfield.
12:20 p.m.: It looked like Missouri had got the BC offense off the field in three plays, but pass interference is called on third-and-long on Mizzou corner Toriano Pride. That keeps the Eagles moving.
12:10 p.m.: Field goal Missouri. A promising drive stalls on the edge of the red zone for Missouri, as Brady Cook misses Jamal Roberts on third-and-7 in the flat. Blake Craig converts the 38-yard attempt to get the Tigers on the board. There is 2:49 left in the quarter.
12:05 p.m.: Cook comes very closed to being picked off right in front of his nose under immediate pressure. The next play goes to Nate Noel, and he drives up the middle to near midfield and a first down.
12:03 p.m.: Brady Cook and Co. are on the field. The first play: A dropped pass in the flat by Theo Wease Jr.
11:59 a.m.: Touchdown. Boston College is the first team to get into the red zone against Missouri all season, and they convert on a fourth-and-4 to the end zone to put up the first points scored against MU this season.Thomas Castellanos finds Jerand Bradley for the 12-yard score. Eagles burned just shy of half the first quarter on that drive.
11:55 a.m.: Mizzou gives Boston College a free first down after seemingly forcing the Eagles’ offense off the field, as Chris McClellan puts hands to the face and keeps BC moving. That’s an unforced error.
11:45 a.m.: Mizzou wins the toss and defers. Tigers will be kicking the ball to Boston College to begin the game.
11:43 a.m.: The players are on the field in Columbia. Next up: A ranked test for Missouri against Boston College. Former Missouri coach Gary Pinkel and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin are on Big Mo’ duties.
11:14 a.m.: Tight end Brett Norfleet, right guard Cam’Ron Johnson, wide receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr., and cornerback Ja’Mariyon Wayne — each of whom carried designations less than officially available — each were warming up with the team and fully dressed. Looks like Mizzou has a clean bill of health to face Boston College.
10:36 a.m.: Another availability update: Right guard Cam’Ron Johnson, who also missed last week’s game, is on the field and warming up. That’s not confirmation that he’s going to start, but it’s a good indicator. Final warmups are coming up soon, when all available players will come out in uniforms. We’ll have another update after that.
10:31 a.m.: Mizzou tight end Brett Norfleet is warming up with his unit pregame here at Memorial Stadium. Seems like a good sign that he’ll be available today. He missed the Tigers’ game against Buffalo, and was in a green no-contact jersey during the portion of Tuesday’s practice that was open to local media.
10:18 a.m.: The gates are open at Memorial Stadium — which is getting a major upgrade, if you haven’t heard — and the first fans are finding their seats for what is touted as an eighth straight sellout crowd in Columbia.
10:13 a.m.: Here is a better picture of the robot dog that enamored the Gameday panel in question from the Missouri football team account:
9:55 a.m.: Good back and forth between Nick Saban and Eli Drinkwitz on College Gameday, concerning the dog.
Drinkwitz gave Saban a jab for sitting on Gameday making jokes about karaoke while he’s “sick to his stomach” ahead of a game. That got a good laugh from the Gameday crew. Then:
Saban: “I just want to make sure you’re not using that (robot) dog to steal signals or anything.”
Drinkwitz: “See, cracking jokes again.”
9:55 a.m.: Some more snippets from Eli Drinkwitz on College Gameday broadcast: “Offensively we’ve kind of just picked up where we left off. … The thing that’s been so impressive to me is our defense. … I feel like we’ve built the lines of scrimmage the way we need to in this league.”
Drinkwitz also says he showed Luther Burden III clips of DeVonta Smith, Reggie Bush and Charles Woodson and more former Alabama players playing special teams as the Mizzou wide receiver looks to become one of the more “dominant” players in the country. Looks like he’ll keep punt-returning duties, if that’s anything to go by.
9:39 a.m.: Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz is on the sideline of Faurot Field and getting a microphone put on. There also appears to be — and I mean this quite literally — a robotic dog walking the sideline with him. He’ll be interviewed on College Gameday at 9:45 a.m. Drinkwitz, that is; not the dog.
9:28 a.m.: Good morning from Memorial Stadium. Missouri’s players and coaches are in the building, it’s an overcast morning in Columbia, with temperatures currently sitting at about 70 degrees and tipped to rise closer to 80 by kickoff. Seems like decent tailgating weather, and from a quick scan it looks like there’s a fair few Missouri fans who agree.
In a little more than two hours, Mizzou faces its toughest test of the 2024 season so far.
You can get up to speed on all of our Mizzou coverage previewing this week’s game at the following links:
More:Can Missouri football quiet dynamic Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos? Here are the keys
More:If Missouri football wins these 3 on-field battles, the Tigers should beat Boston College
More:Missouri football vs. Boston College: Scouting report, score prediction for ranked matchup
More:Missouri football’s Eli Drinkwitz provides availability update on Luther Burden, other starters
More:How Missouri football is looking to avoid costly offensive penalties moving forward
More:3 under-the-radar standouts from Missouri football’s shutout start to season
More:Here’s what Boston College coach Bill O’Brien, Eagles players said about Missouri football
More:Where does Missouri athletics stand on its $250 million upgrades, renovation project?
TV Channel: SEC Network
Stream: FUBO
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 11:45 a.m. CDT
Missouri’s game against Buffalo will kick off at 11:45 a.m. Saturday and will air on SEC Network. The game is available to stream on FUBO.
Taylor Zarzour will be the play-by-play announcer for the game, and Matt Stinchcomb will be the on-air analyst on the SECN broadcast. Alyssa Lang will be the sideline reporter for the game.
Due to an ongoing contract dispute with Disney that has resulted in service blackouts, DIRECTV customers likely will not be able to access ESPN platforms — SEC Network included — for this weekend’s slate of games.
The matchup between the Tigers and Eagles will be the first nonconference game played at Memorial Stadium between two teams that are ranked in the AP Top 25 since an Oct. 4, 1980, matchup between Mizzou and Penn State.
Missouri and Illinois were both ranked in 2008 when they faced off, but that game was played in St. Louis.
| Date (Time) | Opponent | Location |
| Aug. 29 | Missouri 51, Murray State 0 (1-0) | Columbia, Mo. |
| Sept. 7 | Missouri 38, Buffalo 0 (2-0) | Columbia, Mo. |
| Sept. 14 (11.45 a.m.) | Boston College | Columbia, Mo. |
| Sept. 21 (2:30-3:15 p.m.) | Vanderbilt | Columbia, Mo. |
| IDLE | IDLE | IDLE |
| Oct. 5 (11 a.m.) | Texas A&M | College Station, Texas |
| Oct. 12 (TBA) | UMass | Amherst, Mass. |
| Oct. 19 (11 a.m.-noon) | Auburn (homecoming) | Columbia, Mo. |
| Oct. 26 (3:30-7 p.m.) | Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
| IDLE | IDLE | IDLE |
| Nov. 9 (3:30-7 p.m.) | Oklahoma | Columbia, Mo. |
| Nov. 16 (2:30-3:30 p.m.) | South Carolina | Columbia, S.C. |
| Nov. 23 (2:30-3:30 p.m.) | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. |
| Nov. 30 (2:30-3:30 p.m.) | Arkansas | Columbia, Mo. |
| Dec. 7 | SEC Championship | Atlanta, Ga. |
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