Mizzou’s Theo Wease scores the first of two touchdowns in the Tigers’ win over Oklahoma on Saturday. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
| NCAA Football | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5) | 0 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 23 |
| #24 Missouri (7-2, 3-2) | 0 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 30 |
Terrance Williams
Staff Writer
COLUMBIA, MO — The first 30 minutes of Saturday’s Missouri-Oklahoma NCAA football game stunk.
Neither team did anything worthwhile.
The most exciting play was a fake punt by Oklahoma that led to a field goal that gave the Sooners the first lead of the game.
But the second half was immensely exciting, especially the fourth quarter, when the teams combined for five touchdowns, including an incredible sack-fumble, scoop-and-score touchdown by Missouri with 30 seconds left that lifted the Tigers to a 30-23 win.
Linebacker Triston Newson made the sack and forced the fumble and defensive end Zion Young picked up the ball and raced 17 yards for the game-winning touchdown that sent the entire Faurot Field into a frenzy for Mizzou’s improbably comeback win.
Triston Newson sacked Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold and knocked the ball loose. Young, a defensive end, picked it up and raced in for the score.
“It was a surreal moment,” Young said. “There was no one around the ball.”
Missouri quarterback Drew Pyne filled in for the injured Brady Cook and passed for 143 yards in his first start for the Tigers (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference). He threw three touchdown passes in the second half, including two to former Oklahoma receiver Theo Wease Jr.
The second half was a rebound for Pyne. Missouri’s longest drive in the first half was a mere 24 yards.
“At halftime, we kind of just said we’re just going to go all out,” he said. “I felt really good, and I said I’m just going to do whatever I possibly can. We’ve talked about it all week — whatever it takes. Whatever it takes to win this game.”
Mizzou QB Drew Pyne threw three second half touchdown passes to lead the Tigers to a win over Oklahoma on Saturday. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
The Sooners (5-5, 1-5) led 9-3 at halftime on three field goals by Zach Schmit, including a 56-yarder as time expired to end the first half. That marked a career-long by Schmit, and ties the third-long field goal in school history.
But the Sooners made too many mistakes to win. They fumbled six times and lost four.
“In the second half, I thought our guys fought with everything they had, and it wasn’t good enough,” Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said. “We’ve (coaches) got to do a better job to help them.”
Pyne connected with Brett Norfleet for a 5-yard touchdown following a Sooners turnover, giving the Tigers a 16-9 lead with just under nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter before things got weird.
Arnold caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from running back Taylor Tatum to tie the game at 16. On the ensuing Missouri drive, Sooners linebacker Sammy Omosigho poked the ball away from Missouri running back Jamal Roberts, and Oklahoma’s Billy Bowman Jr. picked up the fumble and ran it back for a 43-yard touchdown.
Wease’s second touchdown catch, a 10-yarder with 1:03 remaining, tied the score at 23 and set up the final sequence. He said it was special to have that kind of performance against his former team.
“I still got a lot of friends over there,” Wease said. ‘It’s definitely competitive, still friendly, competitive, but just being there for four years, and going through what I went through there. I really just wanted to put everything on the line tonight, just to win for the team.”
Mizzou DE Zion Young scores what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the Tigers’ win over Oklahoma, Saturday at Faurot Field. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
The two teams hadn’t met since 2011 after Missouri departed the Big 12 for the SEC. With the Sooners joining the Tigers in the conference this season, the two teams resumed a rivalry that went the Sooners way much more often than not. Oklahoma still leads the head-to-head matchup 67-25-5.
“We said going into the game, whatever it takes,” Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “Drew Pyne’s a freaking stud, Theo Wease and then the defense Zion Young makes a play right there. We just kept fighting, kept fighting and I’m really really proud of this win.”
Mizzou will be on the road next week to play another rivalry game. The Tigers will be in the other Columbia — Columbia, S.C. — to take on the Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Field.
Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m., and the game will be televised on the SEC Network.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Qtr | Time | Scoring Play | OU | MIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 14:56 | OU – Schmit, Zach 40 yd field goal 13 plays, 58 yards, TOP 05:53 | 3 | 0 |
| 2nd | 07:58 | OU – Schmit, Zach 35 yd field goal 6 plays, 27 yards, TOP 02:49 | 6 | 0 |
| 2nd | 03:26 | MIZ – Craig, Blake 25 yd field goal 5 plays, 20 yards, TOP 02:22 | 6 | 3 |
| 2nd | 00:00 | OU – Schmit, Zach 56 yd field goal 3 plays, 13 yards, TOP 00:10 | 9 | 3 |
| 3rd | 05:43 | MIZ – Wease, Theo 13 yd pass from Pyne, Drew (Craig, Blake kick) 12 plays, 59 yards, TOP 06:34 | 9 | 10 |
| 4th | 08:47 | MIZ – Norfleet, Brett 5 yd pass from Pyne, Drew (PAT missed) 9 plays, 30 yards, TOP 04:56 | 9 | 16 |
| 4th | 03:18 | OU – Arnold, Jackson 18 yd pass from Tatum, Taylor (Schmit, Zach kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 05:29 | 16 | 16 |
| 4th | 02:00 | OU – Bowman Jr., Billy 43 yd fumble recovery (Schmit, Zach kick) | 23 | 16 |
| 4th | 01:03 | MIZ – Wease, Theo 10 yd pass from Pyne, Drew (Craig, Blake kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:57 | 23 | 23 |
| 4th | 00:22 | MIZ – Young, Zion 17 yd fumble recovery (Craig,Blake kick) | 23 | 30 |
MISSOURI TIGERS 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV | Radio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 16, 2024 (Saturday) | 3:15 pm | Away | South Carolina | Columbia, S.C. |  | Tiger Radio Network |
| November 23, 2024 (Saturday) | 3:15 pm | Away | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. | | Tiger Radio Network |
| November 30, 2024 (Saturday) | TBA | Home | Arkansas | Columbia, Mo. / Faurot Field | Tiger Radio Network |