COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri football looks to build on its strong start to the 2024 season Saturday when the Tigers host the nation’s only top 25 showdown of the weekend against the 24th-ranked Boston College on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 11:45 a.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network and Tiger Radio Network.
Winners of 18 consecutive home non-conference contests, the Tigers (2-0) moved up to No. 6 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 Poll, marking their highest ranking since 2013.
The Tigers and Eagles will meet for just the second time Saturday, with Boston College claiming a 41-34 overtime victory in the two programs’ previous contest in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, on Sept. 25, 2021. After the Tigers rallied to force overtime on a 56-yard Harrison Mevis field goal, the Eagles clinched the win by cashing in on a 10-yard scoring strike before picking off Mizzou’s first pass attempt of the extra stanza.
Saturday’s matchup will be Mizzou’s first non-conference regular season game where both teams are nationally ranked since facing No. 20 Illinois to begin the 2008 season. The then No. 6 ranked Tigers won that outing, 52-42.
Saturday’s SEC Network broadcast will feature Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb and Alyssa Lang on the call. The game can also be heard on the Tiger Radio Network from LEARFIELD through the Varsity Network mobile app and Sirius XM channel 81.
HOW TO FOLLOW
[24] Boston College (2-0, 1-0 ACC) at [6] Missouri (2-0, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, September 14, 2024 • 11:45 a.m. CT
Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium (62,621)
TELEVISION • SECN
RADIO • Tiger Radio Network from LEARFIELD
GAME NOTES • Missouri Notes • Boston College Notes
LIVE STATS • MUTigers.com
TWITTER • @MizzouFootball
INTERVIEWS • Coach Drinkwitz Weekly Press Conference | RB Marcus Carroll | OL Cayden Green | LB Triston Newson
PROMOTION: Fans Encouraged to Wear Gold
GAME NOTES
Mizzou has won 18-straight non-SEC games at Memorial Stadium (dating to Oct. 21, 2017), which matches the program’s all-time record for consecutive non-conference home wins (Sept. 17, 2005 to Nov. 17, 2012).
The Tigers stayed perfect on the season with their 38-0 victory over Buffalo, giving MU’s ‘Death Row Defense’ its second-straight shutout to open the new campaign — and the first back-to-back shutouts for the Tigers since 1966. Additionally, Missouri is the first FBS team since 2019 (Wisconsin) to begin its year with two shutouts.
Mizzou’s defense leads the nation in total defense (127.0 ypg), scoring defense (0.0 ppg), passing yards allowed (41.0 ypg) and red zone defense (.000) after logging the first back-to-back shutouts to start a season since 1935.
The Tigers’ defense enters Saturday’s contest riding a scoreless streak of 11 consecutive quarters dating back to the second period of the 2023 Cotton Bowl vs. Ohio State, a span of over 168 minutes; that streak represents Mizzou’s longest since a program-record 18-quarter scoreless stretch in 1941.
QB Brady Cook (6,934) moved past Blaine Gabbert (6,822) into sixth place on Mizzou’s career passing yardage listwith his 228-yard night against Buffalo and needs just 25 additional yards to catch Jeff Handy (6,959) and break into the top five on the Tigers’ all-time passing chart.
With his 22-7 record on Faurot Field, Eliah Drinkwitz has compiled the best home winning percentage (.759) among all Mizzou football coaches with at least four years at the helm.
With a career-best 13 catches vs. Buffalo, WR Theo Wease Jr. turned in the top single-game performance by a Tiger since T.J. Moe‘s 15-receptions in the 2010 Insight Bowl vs. Iowa (Dec. 28).
MU enters Saturday’s game 72-25 at home when ranked in the Associated Press poll (138-76-1 overall).
PUTTING THE ‘D’ IN DOMINATE
Mizzou’s dominant start to the season has included a string of eight-straight scoreless quarters by its defense, marking the first back-to-back season opening shutouts by the Tigers since blanking William Jewell (39-0) and Central Missouri (7-0) to kick off Don Faurot’s debut season as head coach in 1935.
MU’s ‘Death Row Defense’ has extended a shutdown streak started by the 2023 Tigers that now extends 168:12 minutes without allowing a point.
The Tigers have not yielded a touchdown to any of their last three opponents — Ohio State (2023), Murray State (2024) or Buffalo (2024) — in a streak that has stretched to 185 minutes and 48 seconds (dating back to Nov. 24, 2023 at Arkansas.
Against Murray State earlier this year, Mizzou allowed just 27 yards passing (7-of-15), marking the fewest yards by an opponent since 2011 vs. Western Illinois (20 yards).
The Tigers also permitted just five first downs in the victory over Murray State — their fewest allowed since the same Western Illinois game in 2011.
MU’s defense has yet to allow a red zone opportunity in 2024 and leads the nation in total defense (127.0 ypg), passing yards allowed (41.0 ypg), passing efficiency defense (45.39) and scoring defense (0.0 ppg).
Thanks in large part to the Tigers’ dominant defensive start to the season, Mizzou has logged the largest opening two-game scoring margin in program history.
TOP O’ THE HEAP
Missouri’s quick start to the 2024 campaign has included balanced contributions from all phases of the Tigers’ attack.
MU is one of three teams nationally to rank among the top five teams in both red zone offense and defense (along with Ohio State and Purdue) and in the top 10 in third-down conversion percentage on offense and defense (Purdue and Miami [Fla.]).
Mizzou’s offense ranks among the nation’s leaders in the following categories entering Saturday’s game:
• t1st – red zone offense (1.000)
• t1st – sacks allowed (0.0)
• t4th – 3rd down conversion pct. (.607)
• t5th – first downs offense (58)
• t6th – completion pct. (.762)
• t16th – scoring offense (44.5)
• t19th – total offense (503.5)
Additionally, the Tigers’ defense and special teams units have also rated among the nation’s best through two games:
• 1st – passing yards allowed (41.0)
• 1st – total defense (127.0)
• 1st – passing efficiency defense (45.39)
• t1st – scoring defense (0.0)
• t1st – red zone defense (.000)
• t3rd – first downs defense (14)
• t8th – 3rd down conversion pct. def. (.185)
• t8th – net punting (46.0)
• t12th – punt return defense (0.0)
• t16th – scoring offense (44.5)
• t19th – total offense (503.5)
IN THE ZONE
Mizzou has been nearly unstoppable in the red zone, converting each of its 11 trips inside of the opposition’s 20-yard line into points this season.
The Tigers have found the end zone on nine of those possessions overall (81.8%), with each of their last eight trips to the zone resulting in rushing touchdowns.
K Blake Craig has successfully booted each of his two red zone field goal attempts (from 22 and 27 yards).
The Tigers red zone offense was one of the nation’s best in 2023, putting points on the board in 56-of-58 (96.6%) trips inside the 20-yard line to rank third among all FBS offenses.
MU converted 36 red zone TDs, while K Harrison Mevis booted 20 red zone field goals to rank second among all FBS kickers.
GET YOUR 2024 TICKETS NOW!
A limited number of reserved single-game tickets remain available for the game against Arkansas. Reserved season tickets have sold out as well as single-game reserved tickets for games against Boston College, Vanderbilt, Auburn and Oklahoma.
Purchase single-game tickets now by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS or buying online.
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