Trap evaded: After trailing Troy early, Mizzou pulls away to move to 3-0

Still, a win is a win, and the Tigers bumped their record to 3-0 with Southeastern Conference play opening for them next weekend at Mississippi State.

The matchup between the Tigers and Trojans featured many exciting moments that had nothing to do with the game itself. From honoring Mizzou’s 1960 team as national champions at halftime to celebrating the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium to watching the Tigers play in throwback uniforms, a lot was going on.

The game featured plenty of action as well. If Missouri fans expected a straightforward game, they didn’t get it. But if Missouri fans expected to see some progress in the run game, they did get that. Running back Jamal Roberts stood out on offense, recording 122 yards and a touchdown.

As he dashed toward the end zone in the second quarter, it was hard not to admire the throwback uniform in motion. The black jerseys featured a classic 'M' logo to represent the 1920s and black, gold and white stripes on the sleeves representing the 1970s. The pants, which were a muted shade of gold, also served as a callback to the 1900s.

The helmets displayed the Block M and the columns, a nod to the Francis Quadrangle and university. However, the university took a back seat to the stadium, which celebrated its 100th anniversary.

The renovation project cost $250 million and produced a new north end zone. The Tigers scored at that very end zone just once against the Trojans by way of a field goal. Some say the north end zone is cursed, as many bad things have happened there. From the flea kicker against Nebraska to multiple missed field goals, the Tigers have experienced their share of heartbreak in the north end zone.

Parts of Saturday's game looked as if Mizzou were playing under a curse. That is until the Tigers broke the spell in the second quarter.

Trailing 10-0, Mizzou fans were pretty quiet, likely due to a mixture of frustration and disbelief. The Tigers looked to be the inferior team for a while against the Sun Belt Conference opponent.

All it took for Memorial Stadium to get back into it was Missouri wide receiver DaMarion Fowlkes returning a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. It marked the longest punt return by a Mizzou player since Luther Burden III took it 78 yards in 2022, and it tied the game 10-10. The Tigers never looked back, scoring 14 more points before halftime to establish control.

The game served as a history lesson, looking back on the accomplishments of Mizzou’s 1960 team at halftime. 

The Tigers have started slowly in recent weeks. In Week 2, they looked dismal against Kansas early. When linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. came up with back-to-back turnovers, it sparked life. An eerily similar scene unfolded against Troy.

Cornerback Sione Laulea came up with a huge interception to put Mizzou at Troy’s 18-yard line, and shortly after, quarterback Austin Simmons passed it 12 yards to Donovan Olugbode, who scored a touchdown to give the Tigers a 17-10 lead.

Immediately after, Mizzou edge Langden Kitchen forced a fumble with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. The Tigers found themselves with ideal field position again, and they capitalized. Roberts rushed 13 yards for a touchdown, putting Mizzou ahead 24-10.

The Trojans didn’t go away, keeping the pressure on the Tigers. It seemed as if Simmons could feel that pressure, as his numbers did not look good. Simmons logged just 91 yards and a touchdown. He also lobbed several sketchy passes, putting the ball in danger.

Ultimately, he and the Tigers did enough to stave off a Troy win. On Troy’s second play of the game, the Trojans exploded for a 76-yard touchdown. Quarterback Goose Crowder found TK Keyes in the end zone to give Troy a 7-0 lead.

The Trojans scored again on their second offensive drive, but they did it in a very different fashion. Instead of a chunk play, they pieced together a slow and methodical drive, wearing the Missouri defense down. It took 10:32 for the Trojans to add three points to their lead and go up 10-0 courtesy of a field goal by Ethan Head.

The Tigers struggled to contain Troy’s running back duo of Gavin Griffin and Jaheim Merriweather. Crowder got things done in the air as well, finding multiple different targets for positive gains.

But Mizzou’s defense didn’t do itself any favors. Edge Daeden Hopkins committed a face mask on third-and-24, resulting in an automatic first down, and cornerback Chris Graves Jr. was called for pass interference. On top of it all, Mizzou’s Darris Smith was injured on that drive. He did return to the game later.

Mizzou scored its first points of the game thanks to a 35-yard field goal by Blake Craig. He added another, this one from 36 yards out, to put the Tigers ahead 27-17.

The game between Mizzou and Troy may have looked back at the past, but the Tigers are focused on the here and now. They’ll have to flush the win and turn their focus to next Saturday, when they hit the road to take on Mississippi State at 6:45 p.m. in Starkville, Mississippi. There is a lot to improve before then, but right now, they can celebrate not only their past achievements but their current one — being 3-0.