South Carolina pulls away late to beat Mizzou football

COLUMBIA – Mizzou football kicked off SEC play with a disappointing 31-13 loss to South Carolina to fall to 1-1 on the season.

All eyes were on the Mizzou defense after a poor performance to Missouri State in week one in which the Tigers gave up 42 points. Mizzou’s defense responded in the first quarter as the Gamecocks failed to get on the scoreboard. Jordan Harold picked up his second sack of the season as the Tigers forced Quarterback Jake Bentley and the South Carolina offense to a pair of three and outs and a missed field goal.

Meanwhile, Mizzou’s offense got on the board quickly with a 54-yard drive ending in a 43-yard Tucker McCann field goal to give the Tigers an early 3-0 lead with under six minutes left in the first quarter.

Mizzou Quarterback Drew Lock completed just two passes in the first quarter, but he connected on a 61-yard strike to Tight End Jason Reese early in the second quarter to give Mizzou a 10-0 lead.

The ensuing three plays were the difference in the first half.

On the kick off, McCann sent the kick directly to Deebo Samuel who returned it 97 yards for the touchdown to make it 10-7 Mizzou.

When the Tigers got the ball back, Lock fired a pass to the flat that Jamyest Williams picked off putting South Carolina in great field position. The Gamecocks capitalized on the very next play as Samuel carried the ball to his left for 25 yards for the touchdown after a missed tackle by Cale Garrett. The score gave South Carolina 14-10 lead heading into the half.

In the second half, the South Carolina offense came out strong putting together an 80-yard drive over nine plays that ended in a touchdown. Bentley found Hayden Hurst over the middle for a 39-yard touchdown reception giving the Gamecocks a 21-10 lead.

After missing a 25-yard field goal late in the first half, McCann redeemed himself by smacking a 22-yard field goal through the uprights capping off a 72-yard drive for the Tigers to cut the deficit to 21-13 with 6:31 remaining in the third quarter.

South Carolina pulled away late with a field goal and touchdown in the fourth quarter to help seal a 31-13 win.

Mizzou’s next game will be at home against Purdue at 3 P.M. Saturday, Sep. 16.