Instant Analysis: No. 14 Mizzou Falls to No. 8 Alabama

Watch the video below as Missouri football reporters Joey Van Zummeren and Michael Stamps give their initial thoughts on the Tigers' loss to Alabama.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — For No. 14 Missouri, it was too little too late against No. 8 Alabama.

The game rested in the Tigers' hands late in the game, when with 1:11 remaining, Missouri took posession trailing by just three points. But an interception from quarterback Beau Pribula on a third-and-10 ended those hopes.

"Those are gonna stick with us for a while, gonna hurt," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. "They're hurting in that locker room right now because they believed we could do it. Just came up short."

It's fitting that Missouri ultimately lost the game on a turnover on a third down. Both of those areas were issues that plagued Missouri all day.

That was Pribula's second interception of the game. At the start of the fourth quarter, he threw another into the hands of safety Bray Hubbard. That interception didn't lead to any points for the Crimson Tide though, as Missouri stopped them 31 yards out from the end zone, forcing a 49-yard field goal attempt that was missed.

Though the Missouri defense struggled to get off the field in key moments, the unit did create big momentum swings of their own.

On the very first play of the second half, defensive end Zion Young stripped the ball loose out of quarterback Ty Simpson's hands, leading to a fumble that defensive end Damon Wilson II recovered at Alabama's 19-yard line.

Three plays later, Pribula was running the ball five yards into the end zone to tie the score at 17.

But the story on both sides of the ball for Missouri was that even through those huge plays, the Tigers made too many mistakes to overcome.

"Proud of the way our defense fought, proud of the way our offense fought, but ultimately, we just had too many critical mistakes in critical situations to win," Drinkwitz said.

Offensively, Missouri was unable to find rhythm and play to its identity of having running back Ahmad Hardy gash down a defense. The sophomore only had 12 rushes, gaining 52 yards. Entering the game, Hardy had rushed for at least 100 yards in every game this season.

Running back Jamal Roberts also had a quiet day, taking five carries for 52 yards.

Next week, Missouri will have its first road trip of the season, traveling to take on Auburn.

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