Field Level Media
Nov 13, 2021
Tyler Badie rushed 209 yards and a touchdown and Connor Bazelak threw for 180 yards and two touchdowns Saturday to lead host Missouri to a 31-28 victory over South Carolina in a Southeastern Conference game.
Bazelak went 15-for-23 passing that included two interceptions, with Badie finishing with five receptions for 22 yards and Mookie Cooper catching three catches for 72 yards and a touchdown for the Tigers (5-5, 2-4 SEC).
South Carolina quarterback Jason Brown went 16-for-30 passing for 193 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, but he also committed a costly fumble that was recovered for a touchdown.
Josh Vann had five receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown, while Zaquandre White rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries for the Gamecocks (5-5, 2-5).
Leading 17-14 late in the third quarter, Missouri's defense took control of the game.
On first-and-10 from his team's 17-yard line, Brown dropped back to pass. But defensive back Martez Manuel blitzed and sacked Brown, knocking the ball free. Travion Ford fell on it in the end zone for a touchdown and a 24-14 lead with 4:28 left in the quarter.
Badie put the game away on the Tigers' next possession when his 19-yard touchdown run pushed the lead to 31-14 with 12:31 left in the game.
Brown pulled South Carolina to 31-21 with a 38-yard touchdown pass to White with 6:56 remaining. After Bazelak threw an interception that gave the Gamecocks the ball at the Tigers' 14-yard line, White scored on a three-yard run with 4:32 left to cut the deficit to 31-28.
Yet, Missouri ran out the clock on its ensuing possession.
South Carolina accounted for the only scoring in the first quarter on Kevin Harris' two-yard run less than three minutes into the game.
Missouri dominated the second quarter. After Bazelak threw a two-yard touchdown to Daniel Parker just 34 seconds into the quarter, he gave the Tigers a 14-7 lead a little more than two minutes later with a 60-yard strike to Cooper.
After South Carolina tied the score on Brown's 26-yard touchdown pass to Josh Vann with 4:26 left in the quarter, the Tigers took a 17-14 lead into halftime on Harrison Mevis' 19-yard field goal as time expired.
--Field Level Media