Instant Takeaways from Mizzou's Win over South Carolina

The Tigers opened SEC play by hosting the Gamecocks, and numerous things were revealed about the team.

Sept 20, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter celebrates in the second quarter against South Carolina. | Sam Simon/MissouriOnSI

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The No. 23 Missouri Tigers opened Southeastern Conference play with a matchup against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday in Columbia.

In a back-and-forth battle, the Tigers triumphed in their toughest test to date by a 29-20 margin.

Here are three takeaways from the win.

Defense does just enough

South Carolina’s offense lost a key member in quarterback LaNorris Sellers in its Week 3 loss to Vanderbilt. Sellers suffered a head injury in the first half and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

The accomplished quarterback was listed as questionable on Wednesday’s injury report before being upgraded to probable. He was then removed from the report and cleared to play. 

His presence gave the Gamecocks a much better chance than they would have had if backup quarterback Luke Doty had started. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough to lift the Gamecocks above the Tigers.

Sellers looked rusty out of the gate, as Missouri’s defense got to him numerous times. Leading 9-7 with 5:54 on the clock, Missouri’s defense forced a three-and-out. The play that sealed it for Missouri was an emphatic defensive statement. Defensive tackle Chris McClellan and defensive end Damon Wilson II worked together for an 11-yard sack. 

That was just one instance where the Tigers created pressure. They ended the first half with four quarterback hurries and three sacks. In comparison, the Gamecocks had two and none.

The run defense showed out as well, allowing just 1 rushing yard in the first half. The trend continued in the second half, with the Gamecocks recording -9 yards on the ground throughout the whole contest.

The defense didn’t play a flawless game by any means, but mistakes should have been expected to some degree. An SEC-caliber offense was something the Tigers had to get used to. Eventually, they did.

Some of the mistakes were evident in the first quarter. Cornerback Drey Norwood nearly came up with an early interception, but he was called for holding. The error gave the Gamecocks a first down.

On that same drive, Missouri’s defense came up with two good plays to give South Carolina a third-and-9, but cornerback Stephen Hall was called for pass interference, resulting in another first down for the Gamecocks.

In the second quarter, Missouri defensive end Zion Young jumped for an offside penalty, giving the Gamecocks a free play. Sellers took advantage, airing it out for a 9-yard pass. The catch by Vandrevius Jacobs gave the Gamecocks a touchdown and a 7-6 lead.

Another area the Tigers can improve in down the road is their pass defense. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz was less than pleased with it.

"I'm going to be on some secondary coaches' rear ends because this is getting ridiculous, how porous our pass defense is," Drinkwitz said. "That's got to get shored up in a hurry."

Despite not playing perfectly, the defense came together and did just enough to ensure that it was Missouri hoisting the Mayor’s Cup.

Hardly anyone better

In his first season in the SEC, Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy has made a statement. His performance against the Gamecocks was nothing short of excellent.

Right from the get-go, it seemed like only a matter of time before Hardy broke loose. He remained a big part of Missouri’s offense, continuously being fed the ball. He ran well, but it was nothing spectacular.

That is, until he took a handoff at the end of the first quarter. Almost immediately, Hardy ran into a South Carolina defender. He somehow evaded the tackle, breaking free for what ended up being a 27-yard gain. It was the longest play of the first quarter.

Another area Hardy shines in is forcing missed tackles. He leads the country in forced missed tackles, and his ability to shake off defenders was on full display multiple times against the Gamecocks.

The sophomore looked unstoppable, and it seemed only fitting that he was the one to score the touchdown that reclaimed Missouri’s lead in the third quarter. Trailing 17-12 with 5:56 on the clock, Hardy was given the ball.

The running back was quickly swept up in a sea of black and white with a defender wrapped around him. A Gamecock even had him lifted off the ground for a moment before Hardy reestablished control, churning his legs to propel himself into the endzone. The extra effort after contact gave Missouri an 18-17 lead.

"The dude's running through people like he's a dump truck," Drinkwitz said. "It's unbelievable. How he scored on the one run (where) he left his feet, came back, and had balance and scored. I had never seen that on tape before, so the dude's special."

Hardy rushed for 138 yards on 22 carries. He added one touchdown.

Marquis Johnson finds his form

Since losing wide receiver Luther Burden III last season to the NFL, there hasn’t been a single receiver who has stepped up as a clear leader for the Tigers. Multiple athletes in the position group have made a case for them to claim the title, specifically Marquis Johnson and Kevin Coleman Jr.

Johnson, in particular, has showcased his talent, but he definitely stepped up against the Gamecocks. He channeled his performance from Week 1, when he logged 134 yards against Central Arkansas. The next two games were very different, with Johnson being limited to under 40 yards in each.

Against the Gamecocks, Johnson caught seven of nine passes thrown his way, demonstrating his reliability. He not only impressed with his steady hands but also with his ability to create space after the catch. 

One of the plays of the game came when Johnson hauled in a pass with one hand on third down. He caught the ball behind his back, bringing it forward with one hand and never breaking stride. The play caused Faurot Field to break out into a roar as Johnson somersaulted down onto the field following an 18-yard pick-up.

Johnson ended the night with 80 receiving yards. He was the most targeted receiver.