Missouri moved up to the No. 6 spot in the Associated Press poll on Sunday after it forced its second straight shutout in Week 2 with its 38-0 win over Buffalo.
The last time an FBS team started the season with consecutive shutouts was in 2019. The last time Mizzou forced two straight shutouts was 1935.
Currently, Missouri hasn't allowed a touchdown in 12 quarters and hasn't allowed a point in 11 quarters.
The Tigers did some great things, some good things and some things they need to correct going forward. So, let's talk about what went well, what went wrong and everything in between.
What went well: The defense After the game, safety Marvin Burks said the defense isn’t in Midseason form. If this defense isn’t playing it’s best ball yet then the opponents on their schedule needs to look out. Obviously, the defense doesn’t want to have peaked now, but it’s a great sign that the side of the ball that had more questions in the offseason is the bigger reason why this team is a top seven team in the country.
Through two games, Missouri has allowed 14 first downs, 254 total yards (82 passing), five third-down conversions on 27 attempts and three takeaways leading to 14 points.
What went wrong: Kicker Blake Craig missed two field goals (49 and 52) and Brady Cook threw an interception. In fairness to Craig, his first field goal was a 51-yard field goal and he made that. So, he can hit from that distance. But in conference play if he goes 1-of-3 on field goals that could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Cook threw an interception but that also did not affect the outcome of the game. It was on a fourth down on the first possession of the second half up 24-0. You never want to see an interception but in this instance, he was trying to make a play on what would've been a turnover on downs anyway without the first down.
Also, the team committed 11 penalties (more on this later).
What the turning point was: Luther Burden scored a three-yard rushing touchdown with 12:13 left in the second quarter. This put the Tigers up two scores and it was the first of three straight touchdown drives for Missouri after being held to field goal attempts on the two possessions before.
What to be hopeful for: The offense isn't playing anywhere close to its best football but it put up 38 points and 518 total yards. This unit committed several penalties and had several positive plays wiped from the board because of it. Yet, the offense still had a good day.
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz said the offense isn't 100% where it wants to be and that's good because that means the unit can only get better and it’ll have to because the schedule only gets harder.
What to be concerned about: Penalties. In Week 1, the team had nine penalties and in Week 2 they had 11.
Five of the penalties were holds, two were false starts and two were ineligible man downfield.
Six of those penalties took a first down or touchdown away. Another one happened inside Buffalo's 10-yard line. That can't happen versus No. 24 Boston College in Week 3 or in conference play.
The good thing is none of those penalties were on the defense. The defense hasn't committed a penalty all season.
Player(s) of the game: Wide receiver Theo Wease and defensive end Eddie Kelly
Wease had a career day, racking up 13 receptions for 149 yards. In the first half alone, Wease had 10 receptions for 105 yards. Those halftime numbers would’ve been good enough for the second-best numbers of his career behind his 10-catch, 118-yard and one-touchdown performance against Vanderbilt in Week 4 last season.
Kelly recorded a couple of tackles in 16 snaps just three days after his mother died. Drinkwitz said the team gave him one of the game balls following the win. Anytime someone can fight through something like that and play they should be applauded. Especially, if it results in a win.
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