Missouri Football: A Heartbreaking Loss, But Not The End
It seemed as if all of the signs pointed to an underdog Missouri football victory in Athens, Ga.
The 7-1 Tigers roster had been on a roll in the SEC, boasting one of the most efficient offenses in college football behind the trio of Brady Cook, Luther Burden III and Cody Schrader.
Conquering the reigning back-to-back national champion Bulldogs is no small task, as Georgia headed into the contest with a 25-game winning streak in the SEC, approaching the 28-game streak record of the 1978-80 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Dealing with several injuries – including star tight end Brock Bowers – seemed to put the Bulldogs at a slight disadvantage, or at least diminish their offensive prowess.
The first half started a solid foundation for the Tigers. A 39-yard touchdown pass from Cook that soared across Sanford Stadium landed right in Burden's arms, ending Missouri's first drive in an emphatic way. The defense also held its own, keeping the game tied at 10 a piece heading into the second half.
Things started to slip away from Missouri in the third quarter after getting outscored 14-3, but a Schrader TD and a Burden two-point conversion got the Tigers within three with 12:50 left in the game.
Then, heartbreak for Missouri ensued.
A disastrous interception from Cook to Georgia defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse completely sank the momentum the Tigers had going, and they could never recover.
It's easy to look at this game and feel disappointment. It stings. It hurts. There's no denying it, but in the same notion, not many teams could have given the Bulldogs as competitive of a game.
The final 30-21 margin was the second lowest difference in points for Georgia this season, just behind the 27-20 battle in Auburn. All things considering, Missouri played a fantastic game, that just collapsed in the very end.
A year ago, the Tigers played the Bulldogs even closer, falling short 26-22. It was a much weaker Missouri team that was not expected to come anywhere close to a victory, but they did anyways.
Over the last two seasons, no team has competed against Georgia quite like Missouri has. It still isn't the outcome the Tiger fanbase hoped for, but against a team that hasn't lost in the SEC in two years, coming this close means something larger than just one game.
The Missouri football program is growing.
After a few seasons of mediocrity, the Tigers are sitting at a 7-2 record with a second placement in the SEC East. While they won't find themselves in the College Football Playoffs, Missouri will receive a New Year's Six bowl game assuming it wins out the rest of the season.
Missouri will return back to Faurot Field on Nov. 11 to face the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers, another tough matchup for the Tigers. Led by quarterback Joe Milton III, the Volunteers have scored an average of 443.50 yards per game – the fourth best in the SEC. The Tennessee defense has performed just as well, holding teams to 327.5 yards per game – also the fourth best in the SEC.
It will be by far the most difficult test left in the Missouri season, and a much needed win if they want to end the season on a high note. Even after the Georgia loss, the Tigers still remain as one of the SEC's most elite offenses, and they will be hungry for a rebound statement win.
From then on, Missouri will play the Florida Gators and Arkansas Razorbacks – two very winnable games.
Florida has put together a respectable 5-4 record, but have lost key games to the Kentucky Wildcats and Razorbacks. Meanwhile, Arkansas ranks amongst the bottom of the SEC with a measly 3-6 record.
Both contests should be fairly straightforward wins for the Tigers, giving the team a fairly easy schedule to round out its 2023 campaign. Even if Missouri finished 9-3, it would be its highest win total since 2014, making for a successful season and massive step forward in the program's trajectory.
A win over Georgia would have put the program on the map of the entire country, dramatically increasing the influx of recruits and transfers, heightening national media attention and overtaking the SEC's juggernaut. Thinking of the possibilities makes the win all the more crushing, but Missouri still has to finish a season that re-ignited the spark for college football in Columbia.
The Tigers aren't done yet.
