Mizzou tight end Brett Norfleet breaks into the end zone for a touchdown during Saturday’s SEC showdown at Faurot Field against LSU. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

NCAA Football1st2nd3rd4thFinal
#23 LSU (4-2, 3-1)710102249
#21 Missouri (5-1, 1-1)15107739

DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer

COLUMBIA, MO — A back and forth battle, which featured lots of big plays and lots of scoring, ended with a thud for the No. 21-ranked University of Missouri football team on Saturday, as it suffered its first loss of 2023, in a 49-39 defeat to No. 23 LSU, in a sold-out affair at Faurot Field.

Missouri, which is now 5-1 on the year and 1-1 in SEC play, took the lead early and led for most of the day. But LSU took control of the game and its first lead in the third quarter, before scoring what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with just under three minutes left in the game.

“Definitely a tough loss,” Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “We’ve been living on the edge with a couple things on both sides of the ball that ultimately showed up today that cost us an opportunity to win the game.”

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, a strong contender for the Heisman Trophy, had a big day for the purple-and-gold Tigers. The 6-foot-4 senior from San Bernadino, Calif., threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for another 130 yards and another score, as LSU rallied from a 22-7 early second quarter deficit.

Missouri built that lead by scoring touchdowns on each of its first three possessions. Mizzou QB Brady Cook, who finished with 411 passing yards of his own, threw two touchdowns early and ran for a two-point conversion, that helped get the black-and-gold Tigers going.

Unfortunately, the game turned when Cook threw an interception — his first in 12 games and a record 366 passes — that helped LSU get back into the game.

LSU turned that turnover into a touchdown, when Daniels hit Mason Taylor for a 3-yard score that made the score 22-17 with 1:59 to go before halftime. Missouri was able to move the ball into field goal range and got three points, on a 50-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis as time expired in the first half.

“We felt pretty good going into the half,” Cook said. “But I wasn’t happy about that interception. I just didn’t see the (defender) there. The receiver was open, but the (defender) just jumped in front. I’ve got to read that better. That’s a mistake I’m not happy about.”

Mizzou had 271 yards of total offense, 13 first downs, and scored points on four of its five first half possessions. That changed drastically in the third quarter, as LSU took over the game and took the lead midway through.

The biggest reason for that was Daniels, who kept making big plays with his arm and his legs that wouldn’t let the Missouri defense get off the field. In the third quarter alone, LSU outgained Missouri 195 to 95, even though it only outscored Mizzou 10-7.

LSU took its first lead with six minutes left in the third, when Daniels hit Brian Thomas, Jr., for a 42-yard touchdown pass that made the score 27-25. Mizzou answered back quickly though, as Cody Schrader scored a 2-yard touchdown with 2:22 left in the third that put the hometown Tigers back up 32-27.

A couple of special teams mistakes hurt Mizzou in the early part of the fourth quarter. First, as missed field goal and then a short punt, helped set LSU up for its next score.

Daniels was once again apart of that, as he reeled off a 35-yard scamper for a score that gave his Tigers a 35-32 lead with 7:54 to go. Once again, Missouri answered quickly, as it drove the field in two minutes and got another short touchdown run from Schrader — his third of the day — to re-take the lead at 39-35.

Both defenses were clearly wearing down and LSU took advantage, as Daniels hit Malik Nabers for a 29-yard scoe with 2:58 left to make the score 42-39.

Missouri had plenty of time left and all three of its timeouts, so there was no reason to panic. Unfortunately though, it was the LSU defense that made the next two biggest plays of the day that helped seal the game in their favor.

First, on a third-and-6 at the LSU 46 with 1:52 to go, Cook fumbled on a sack, which was recovered by Missouri. But the Tigers lost 26 yards on the play, effectively taking them out of any chance of scoring on that drive.

Then, after getting the ball back with less than a minute to play, Cook threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by LSU’s Major Burns that put a seal on the game. The ending of the game forced a Missouri team that began the day fired up to play in front of a sold out 66,621 stadium to leave the field in a disappointed and somber mood.

“Our locker room was dead silent,” Missouri defensive end Darius Robinson said. “You could’ve went in there and dropped a pin and heard it.”

Mizzou will get its chance to move past Saturday’s defeat, when they go on the road next week to play at Kentucky. Both teams will come in with 5-1 records, after Mizzou’s loss to LSU, Saturday afternoon, and Kentucky’s loss to No. 1-ranked Georgia, Saturday night.

Kickoff time for next Saturday will be announced on Sunday.

Scoring Summary

QtrTimeScoring PlayLSUMIZ
1st09:50MIZ – Wease,Theo 18 yd pass from Cook,Brady (Cook,Brady two-point conversion run) 9 plays, 87 yards, TOP 03:4508
1st03:33LSU – Diggs,Logan 1 yd run (Ramos,Damian kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 06:1778
1st01:03MIZ – Schrader,Cody 21 yd run (Mevis,Harrison kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:30715
2nd10:47MIZ – Norfleet,Brett 9 yd pass from Cook,Brady (Mevis,Harrison kick) 6 plays, 57 yards, TOP 03:32722
2nd05:43LSU – Ramos,Damian 48 yd field goal 11 plays, 44 yards, TOP 05:041022
2nd01:59LSU – Taylor,Mason 3 yd pass from Daniels,Jayden (Ramos,Damian kick) 6 plays, 45 yards, TOP 03:091722
2nd00:00MIZ – Mevis,Harrison 50 yd field goal 9 plays, 42 yards, TOP 01:591725
3rd08:12LSU – Ramos,Damian 29 yd field goal 8 plays, 61 yards, TOP 03:152025
3rd06:00LSU – Thomas Jr.,Brian 42 yd pass from Daniels,Jayden (Ramos,Damian kick) 2 plays, 45 yards, TOP 00:462725
3rd02:22MIZ – Schrader,Cody 2 yd run (Mevis,Harrison kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:382732
4th07:54LSU – Daniels,Jayden 35 yd run (Nabers,Malik pass), 7 plays, 92 yards, TOP 03:293532
4th05:40MIZ – Schrader,Cody 1 yd run (Mevis,Harrison kick), 5 plays, 70 yards, TOP 02:143539
4th02:58LSU – Nabers,Malik 29 yd pass from Daniels,Jayden (Ramos,Damian kick) 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:424239
4th00:34LSU – Burns,Major 17 yd interception (Ramos,Damian kick)4939

2023 MISSOURI TIGERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTV
October 14, 2023 (Saturday)6:30 PMAwayKentuckyLexington, Ky.
October 21, 2023 (Saturday)TBAHomeSouth CarolinaFaurot Field
November 4, 2023 (Saturday)TBAAwayGeorgiaAthens, Ga.
November 11, 2023 (Saturday)TBAHomeTennesseeFaurot Field
November 18, 2023 (Saturday)TBAHomeFloridaFaurot Field
November 24, 2023 (Friday)3:00 PMAwayArkansasFayetteville, Ark.CBS