* We’ll have a lot more content and analysis to come, but here’s a few short takeaways. First off, the fact that Mizzou had the ball with a chance to tie at the end of that game was nothing short of a miracle. Kentucky was by far the better team. The Wildcats out-gained the Tigers 523-398. Yet somehow, Mizzou just kept surviving — until it finally ran out of lives. I’m sure that one stings a bit, but your team at least showed some fight. The better team definitely won in the end.
* The game (essentially) ended with the Mizzou offense on the field, but the defense was clearly the reason Mizzou lost this one. Kentucky pretty much moved the ball at will. It ran for 341 yards. It’s hard to win a football game when you give that up. And Will Levis did just enough through the air with some timely throws and big plays to make it where Missouri couldn’t sell out to stop the run. I think Kentucky could legitimately challenge Florida to be the second best team in the East. That said, the Tiger front six is very clearly cause for concern. They got mauled tonight.
* On the other side of the ball, Connor Bazelak showed me some grit and some playmaking ability. He was very clearly hurt for the last few plays. I don’t know exactly when the injury occurred, I think he got hit on the completion to Dove on the last drive, but he threw the ball 54 times and had four touchdowns. He certainly wasn’t the reason Missouri lost. Tyler Badie was great, as well. He hardly came off the field, touching the ball 24 times and finishing with 149 total yards. He led Mizzou in both rushing and receiving yards. The offensive line couldn’t get it done, however. The sack, when JJ Weaver came untouched around the right edge, was the back-breaker, but the loss of three on third and one on the previous drive was just as bad. As a lot of us expected, Kentucky was the better team on both lines of scrimmage, and that’s hard to overcome.
* About to hop on the Drinkwitz postgame Zoom. Gabe will have the call-in show going shortly and I will have more stories later tonight.
* The game (essentially) ended with the Mizzou offense on the field, but the defense was clearly the reason Mizzou lost this one. Kentucky pretty much moved the ball at will. It ran for 341 yards. It’s hard to win a football game when you give that up. And Will Levis did just enough through the air with some timely throws and big plays to make it where Missouri couldn’t sell out to stop the run. I think Kentucky could legitimately challenge Florida to be the second best team in the East. That said, the Tiger front six is very clearly cause for concern. They got mauled tonight.
* On the other side of the ball, Connor Bazelak showed me some grit and some playmaking ability. He was very clearly hurt for the last few plays. I don’t know exactly when the injury occurred, I think he got hit on the completion to Dove on the last drive, but he threw the ball 54 times and had four touchdowns. He certainly wasn’t the reason Missouri lost. Tyler Badie was great, as well. He hardly came off the field, touching the ball 24 times and finishing with 149 total yards. He led Mizzou in both rushing and receiving yards. The offensive line couldn’t get it done, however. The sack, when JJ Weaver came untouched around the right edge, was the back-breaker, but the loss of three on third and one on the previous drive was just as bad. As a lot of us expected, Kentucky was the better team on both lines of scrimmage, and that’s hard to overcome.
* About to hop on the Drinkwitz postgame Zoom. Gabe will have the call-in show going shortly and I will have more stories later tonight.
