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ST. LOUIS — The differing styles of barbecue from Memphis and Missouri were on full display outside The Dome at America’s Center on Saturday, but inside the sauce was a little sweeter for the Missouri Tigers (4-0) in a 34-27 victory over the Memphis Tigers (3-1) in the “Mizzou to the Lou Classic.”
St. Louisans Brady Cook, Luther Burden III and Cody Schrader produced big plays in their hometown that keyed the victory. Cook got the Tigers started with a 76-yard scoring strike to Marquis Johnson and completed 18-of-25 passes for 341 yards. Burden had career highs with 10 receptions for 177 yards and when Memphis threatened late, Schrader ran for a 37-yard touchdown that produced Mizzou’s final points. Burden has topped the century mark in receiving in three straight games making him the fifth Tiger to do so. His 177 receiving yards were the most by any Tiger in the seven games played at the Dome.
Missouri is 4-0 for the first time since 2013 and has won seven in a row in St. Louis.
On the Tigers’ third play, Cook unleashed the bomb to Johnson who hauled it in at the 31-yard line and flew into the end zone for a 76-yard scoring play – his second collegiate catch and first touchdown.
Memphis countered with a 43-yard field goal by Tanner Gillis, and after Schrader fumbled at the Mizzou 11-yard line for the Tigers’ first turnover of the season, on fourth-and-goal at the 2, quarterback Seth Henigan lofted a TD pass to Joe Scales to put Memphis ahead, 10-7.
Mizzou retook the lead with a 75-yard drive that featured completions of 28 and 20 yards to Burden and a fourth-down conversion run by Schrader. Nathaniel Peat punched it in from one-yard out to give the black-and-gold Tigers the lead for good.
After forcing a Memphis punt, Cook marched the Tigers 78 yards, including passes of 15 and 34 yards to Burden, and Harrison Mevis kicked a 25-yard field goal with :05 left before halftime to widen the MU lead to 17-10. It was Mevis’ 67th field goal – a Missouri career record – snapping the mark of 66 he shared with Andrew Baggett. Mevis also recovered his own onside kick on the opening kickoff, but the play was negated by a Missouri off-side penalty.
Early in the second half, Cook and Burden hooked up on a catch-and-run play of 56 yards down to the Memphis 19 and on the next play, Cook found Theo Wease Jr. for a 19-yard TD pass to up the margin to 24-10.
After a pass interception by Kris Abrams-Draine, a Mizzou drive stalled at the Memphis 31-yard line when a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Memphis put together a six-play drive that led to a 13-yard swing pass from Henigan to Blake Watson who ran through a tackle on the way to a touchdown to close within 24-17.
Memphis forced a three-and-out then moved deep into Missouri territory. On 4th-and-5 at the MU 21, Henigan was flushed from the pocket and Marcus Clarke intercepted the pass at the 12-yard line. Schrader, who carried 14 times for 123 yards, ran for 23 on first down and Mookie Cooper took a pass for 24. Peat added 28 yards on four carries, but the drive stalled at the Memphis 14 and Mevis kicked a 32-yard FG for a 27-17 lead with 11:01 to play.
Memphis responded with a 72-yard march. On a fourth down, Henigan found Roc Taylor for 26 yards, then again for 26 to the MU 16-yard line. With 1st-and-goal at the 6, the MU defense stiffened, with big stops by Daylan Carnell and Jaylon Carlies on 2nd and 3rd downs. Memphis then got a 22-yard field goal from Gillis and the score was 27-20 with 5:18 remaining.
Mizzou moved into Memphis territory on three Schrader runs and a 21-yard pass to Cooper. That’s when Schrader ripped off his 37-yard TD run.
Memphis used its 2-minute drill to score a late touchdown, but Burden gobbled up Gillis’ onside kick attempt and Mizzou ran out the clock.
Missouri finished with 542 total yards – 341 through the air and 201 on the ground. Peat contributed 65 yards to the running game.
Abrams-Draine led the defense with seven tackles, one for loss, an interception and a pass break-up. Ty’Ron Hopper also logged seven tackles and Johnny Walker, Jr. had six, including a sack, a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will travel to Nashville to open Southeastern Conference play next week facing off against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Game time on Saturday, Sept. 30, is 3 p.m. CT at FirstBank Stadium. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
Group and single-game tickets for Missouri’s remaining home games are available for purchase now by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS or buying online.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest information on Mizzou Athletics, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Missouri football (@MizzouFootball) and Coach Drinkwitz (@CoachDrinkwitz) on X. You can also find the Tigers on Instagram and Facebook.
