UMass Football: Missouri overwhelms Minutemen 45-3

Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) breaks free from UMass defensive back Jerrod Cameron (28) during the Minutemen’s 45-3 loss to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst.

Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) breaks free from UMass defensive back Jerrod Cameron (28) during the Minutemen’s 45-3 loss to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst. PHOTO BY CHRIS TUCCI/MASSACHUSETTS ATHLETICS

UMass linebacker Jalen Stewart (23) reacts to making a play during the Minutemen’s 45-3 loss to Missouri on Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst.

UMass linebacker Jalen Stewart (23) reacts to making a play during the Minutemen’s 45-3 loss to Missouri on Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst. PHOTO BY CHRIS TUCCI/MASSACHUSETTS ATHLETICS

UMass set a new season high in attendance, with 16,102 out of a possible 17,000 fans showing up to watch the Minutemen host an SEC opponent at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst on Saturday afternoon.

UMass set a new season high in attendance, with 16,102 out of a possible 17,000 fans showing up to watch the Minutemen host an SEC opponent at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst on Saturday afternoon. PHOTO BY CHRIS TUCCI/MASSACHUSETTS ATHLETICS

By GARRETT COTE

Staff Writer

Published: 10-12-2024 6:52 PM

Modified: 10-13-2024 10:00 AM


AMHERST — Not even a minute into UMass football’s marquee matchup with Missouri on Saturday at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, and it became clear what kind of afternoon the Minutemen were in for.

On the second play from scrimmage, Tigers wide receiver and do-it-all star Luther Burden III took an end around 61 yards to the house, evading UMass’ secondary in the process. Burden III, who finished the day with 127 scrimmage yards and a score before exiting the game due to injury, immediately showed the near-sellout crowd (16,102 of max 17,000) in Amherst why he’s one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country.

Missouri continued to pounce on the Minutemen, taking a 24-3 lead into the break en route to a 45-3 dismantling of UMass on Saturday.

“I told the guys, you know, that was an opportunity of a lifetime – playing an SEC opponent in your building,” Minutemen head coach Don Brown said following the loss. “And you know, I just want you to know, there's nothing wrong with their effort. There's nothing wrong with how they go about their business. The bottom line is, we got beat by the better team today.”

The Tigers followed up their quick strike with a completely different looking drive on their second possession. This one lasted over seven minutes, as Missouri methodically marched down the field in 13 plays, going 80 yards and capping it with running back Marcus Carroll’s first of three rushing touchdowns on the day.

Whatever Missouri wanted on offense, they got in the first half. Its third time with the football resulted in six as well, with Carroll rumbling into the maroon-painted Massachusetts end zone from four yards out to put a bow on another impressive waltz across McGuirk (nine plays, 80 yards in four minutes, 37 seconds).

Three drives, three trips to the end zone for the visitors to start the contest.

“I didn't think we were great at all in the first half,” Brown said.

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Consecutive Jakobie Keeney-James receptions on UMass’ next possession brought the Minutemen into Missouri territory, and another Taisun Phommachanh throw to Keeney-James on a 3rd-and-10 moved the chains and put the Minutemen on the Tigers’ 15-yard line.

A 4th-and-5 situation from the 10 presented itself, and Brown took the points – a 28-yard Jacob Lurie field goal – to get his team on the board, 21-3.

UMass then forced a Missouri punt and were back in action offensively. The Minutemen brought out their punt unit on 4th-and-1 from their own 39-yard line, but Brown dialed up a trick play. Instead of a CJ Kolodziey punt, Te’Rai Powell got his hands on the football and dashed 39 yards down to the Missouri 22.

The Minutemen were in business with just over a minute to go until halftime.

“We settled down in the middle of the second quarter… I thought we got pretty good moving into the late second quarter,” Brown said. “Then we took a shot with that fake punt and we made it. Thought that obviously gave us some juice.”

That juice would be drained immediately after, as for the second time this season Phommachanh tossed a costly interception at the goal line. Missouri linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. stepped in front of the senior quarterback’s throw intended for Sterling Galban, and raced 80 yards the other direction.

Two plays later, Tigers kicker Blake Craig booted through a field goal as time expired in the second quarter. What looked like at worst a field goal for UMass turned into points for Missouri, which took a 24-3 lead into intermission.

“We [gave the fake punt] right back to them, so that was disappointing for sure,” Brown said. “We gotta stop, you know, we just give too many plays away.”

Nothing worked offensively or defensively for UMass in the second half. The Minutemen gave up 220 yards while gaining only 62 of their own, and only accumulated four yards on the ground over the final 30 minutes. They went 0-for-6 on third downs in the second half and averaged only 2.7 yards per play after averaging six in the opening two quarters.

UMass’ pass coverage also took a hit in the third and fourth frames, and Missouri quarterback Brady Cook’s (14-for-19, 219 yards, two TDs) pair of passing touchdowns showed that.

Cook hit Joshua Manning for a 63-yard catch-and-run touchdown as well as Brett Norfleet for an 8-yard score wide open in the back of the end zone. Carroll’s third score of the day came earlier in the third quarter, a 35-yard scamper where he was barely touched on his way to pay dirt.

“Second half, we couldn't get anything going on either side of the ball. So that was obviously disappointing.”

UMass (1-6) has a bye week before hosting its second FCS opponent in Wagner on Oct. 26 at 3:30 p.m.