Controversial Penalty Propels Kentucky Over Mizzou 21-17
The Missouri Tigers entered their Saturday morning matchup with the Kentucky Wildcats at Farout Field, looking to win their third consecutive SEC Game, and move above .500 for the first time since Week 3.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, after a controversial roughing kicker call late in the fourth quarter, it wasn't to be as Kentucky escaped Columbia with a 21-17 win.
And while the late penalty was indeed a massive factor in the outcome of the game, it was far from the only reason they came up short.
First, the good news for Missouri - the Tigers' defense is real.
Against one of the best quarterbacks in college football, Will Levis, the Tiger defense proved once again that they were up for the task, limiting the Wildcats to just 242 total yards of offense, including 160 through the air from Levis.
Missouri has also now held six consecutive opponents to 26 points or less,
The bad news, Missouri's offense still appears to be an unmitigated disaster.
For the game, the Tigers amassed just 226 yards of offense - the second week in a row they have gained less than 230 yards and the fourth time in six games they have gained less than 300 yards.
The Tigers have also scored 23 points or less in all six SEC games, and have been held to 24 points or less in all but one game this season (Abilene Christian).
In the end, the lackluster offense was once again the main culprit in yet another frustrating defeat.
And if the Tigers want to find a way to make a bowl game, some drastic changes may have to be made.
The Tigers (4-5) will now have three chances to get two wins to make that happen.
Following the matchup with the Wildcats, the Tigers will have to make a quick turnaround, as they head east to Knoxville to take on the No. 1 ranked Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium.
The Volunteers have won five of the last seven, including the last three matchups over the Tigers in SEC play. Last season, the Volunteers won convincingly 62-24.
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
Hey Tiger fans! Want to catch Mizzou live? Get your Tigers game tickets from SI Tickets here!
Follow MizzouSportsTalk.com on Facebook and Twitter!
Want More Tigers News? Check Out The Latest In Mizzou Tigers News Here
