Missouri at Kansas

Missouri at Kansas

This is Missed It. Missouri at Kansas, Friday, September 11, 81 and clear at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, with the Jayhawks. You missed it? Here's the whole game, as it happened.

Pregame

It's Missouri Tigers at Kansas Jayhawks, and we've got the ball first. This is the one we circle on the calendar every year, the border showdown, and tonight it's in our building. Both teams came in ready to go, and the crowd is already in full voice as our offense takes the field for the opening drive. No score yet, nothing decided, just the weight of the moment and the chance to set the tone early. We've got the football, and we're going to make it count.

Q1

The first quarter is a feeling-out process, both teams trading punts like they're feeling each other out, nobody wanting to give an inch. We get the ball first and move it a little, but we can't sustain anything, and we punt it away. Missouri takes over and starts to find their rhythm, methodically moving the ball down the field, chewing up clock, and suddenly they're knocking on our door. Then comes the moment that could have broken us. It's first down at our 31-yard line, and Simmons drops back, fires a pass short left to Olugbode, and he catches it at the 12 and just takes off. Sixty-five yards in one play, down to our 31, and the Missouri sideline is already celebrating. But our defense digs in. We hold them, force them back, and they have to settle for a field goal attempt from 36 yards out. Craig lines it up, the snap is good, the hold is good, and the kick is up, and Gordon gets a hand on it. Blocked. The ball bounces harmlessly out of bounds at the Missouri zero, and the crowd erupts. That's how you answer. We take over and start moving the ball ourselves, twelve plays, grinding it out, getting into their territory. The clock is winding down in the first quarter, and we're knocking on the door. Marshall drops back, looks for his receiver, and lets it fly, but Florence steps in front of it. Intercepted at the Missouri 8-yard line. All that work, all that momentum, gone in an instant. Missouri takes over, and we need a stop. They hand it to Roberts, and he rushes middle for 4 yards, but Harris III strips the ball, and Davis recovers it at the Missouri 35. We just took it right back. The quarter ends scoreless, but the fight is on.

Q2

We start the second quarter with the ball in Missouri territory, but we can't convert, and we miss the field goal. Missouri takes over, and they start to move the ball, methodically, play after play, thirteen plays, eating up the clock, and then it happens. They line up for a field goal, and our defense gets a hand on it, but this time the ball doesn't fall harmlessly. Austin Alexander picks it up and returns the blocked kick 88 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, we're down 7 to 0, and the air goes out of the building for a second. But we don't fold. We take the kickoff, and we answer right back. Eleven plays, moving the ball down the field, and we punch it in for a touchdown to tie it at 7 to 7. The crowd is back in it, and we've got all the momentum. Then Missouri answers. Roberts takes the handoff, and he finds a seam up the middle, and he's gone. Sixty-four yards to the house, and just like that, we're down 14 to 7. The defense is on their heels, and Missouri is smelling blood. We take over with just under two minutes left in the half, and we drive the field, eleven plays, and we score to tie it at 14 to 14. The place is rocking. Missouri gets the ball back with 33 seconds left, and Simmons drops back, throws deep middle to Lee, and he catches it at the goal line for a 27-yard touchdown. Just like that, they've answered again, and it's 14 to 14 at the half. We get the ball back with no time left, and we try a desperation play, but it's intercepted. The half ends tied, and we're left wondering what could have been.

Halftime

Tied at 14 to 14, and it feels like we've been through a war. The play that turned this half was Roberts's 64-yard touchdown run. We had just tied the game at 7 to 7, we had all the momentum, and then he broke one up the middle and the whole complexion changed. We answered again, but they answered right back. That's the story of the half: every time we punched, they punched back harder. We need to find a way to get a stop, to string together a drive that puts them on their heels. We've shown we can move the ball. Now we need to show we can finish.

Q3

The second half starts, and Missouri gets the ball first, but we force a quick punt. We take over at our own 34, and Marshall tries to run it up the middle, but Woodyard Jr. strips the ball, and it's recovered by Missouri at our 34. The review confirms the fumble, and just like that, we've given them the ball right back in our own territory. They don't waste any time. Simmons drops back, throws deep left to Lee, and he catches it at our 14, out of bounds, a 20-yard gain and a first down. Then, on the next play, Simmons throws short right to Olugbode, and he catches it at the goal line for an 8-yard touchdown. Just like that, we're down 21 to 14, and the roof is starting to cave in.

The Sequence

This is where the game gets decided. We're down 21 to 14, and we need an answer. Marshall drops back to pass, and he throws it right to Woodyard Jr., who intercepts it at our 39 and returns it 27 yards down to our 12. We just handed them the ball on a silver platter, and the crowd is stunned. They hand it to Edwards, and he rushes right for 10 yards, and he's in the end zone. Touchdown. 28 to 14, and the game is slipping away. We take over and move the ball a little, but we can't sustain it, and we punt. Missouri takes over and moves the ball, but we force a punt of our own, and we get the ball back with a chance to make a statement. We start driving, eleven plays, and we're moving the ball. Marshall rushes middle for 1 yard, and he picks up the first down, keeping the drive alive. Then, with 2:07 left in the third quarter, Marshall drops back and throws short left to Cox, and he catches it at the goal line for a 10-yard touchdown. We're back in it, 28 to 21, and the crowd is roaring. We just stole the momentum back, and we've got a chance. But Missouri takes over, and they methodically move the ball down the field, twelve plays, eating up the clock, and they cap it off with a field goal to make it 31 to 21. The game is still within reach, but we're running out of time.

Q4

We get the ball back down 31 to 21, and we need a score. We drive, thirteen plays, moving the ball, but we can't get into the end zone, and we're forced to punt. Missouri takes over, and they move the ball a little, but we force a punt of our own, and we get the ball back with just over four minutes left. We need a touchdown, and we need it fast. We drive, six plays, and we're knocking on the door, but on fourth down, we can't convert. Turnover on downs. The air goes out of the building. Missouri takes over, and Simmons drops back, throws short middle to Norfleet, and he catches it at the goal line for a 13-yard touchdown. 38 to 21, and the game is over. We get the ball back, but we can't do anything with it, and we turn it over on downs. Missouri takes over and runs out the clock. The final whistle blows, and it's over. 38 to 21, Missouri.

Wrap-up

It's a tough one to swallow. We fought, we clawed, we had our chances, but in the end, Missouri was just too much. The turnovers hurt, the missed opportunities hurt, and the scoreboard doesn't lie. 38 to 21, and the border belongs to them tonight. We'll be back, but tonight, it stings.

By the Numbers

The Jayhawks by the numbers. Final score, Kansas 21, Missouri 38. 255 yards of offense to their 469, 174 through the air and 81 on the ground. 18 first downs. 3 of 15 on third down. 3 turnovers for us, 1 for them. We held the ball for just under 29 minutes.

Outro

That was Missouri at Kansas, from the Jayhawks side. This has been Missed It. Every game, both sides, at missed it dot net. Produced by James Barrett.