An early morning start and a last-minute change of location did not prevent the Tigers’ offense from coming out the gates hot, but lack of execution when the game was on the line made all the difference as LSU fell to Missouri, 41-45.
With an first offensive drive that was composed of 10 plays, with Myles Brennan going a perfect 6-for-6, Arik Gilbert hauling in four catches for 59 yards, including a crucial fourth down conversion to keep the drive alive, the offensive looked to be clicking in all the right ways. The drive was then capped off by a six-yard touchdown reception in the back of the end zone by Terrace Marshall Jr. off a strike from Brennan. There is not much more you could have asked for to start out a game offensively.
Brennan eclipsed the 400 yard mark for the first time this season, totaling 430 yards through the air today, with an offense averaging seven yards a play, but it was still not enough.
Down four with just over five minutes to play, the Tigers leaned on what had been working for them all day: the passing game.
LSU was able to quickly and efficiently maneuver its way down the field, with a combination of strikes from Brennan to Marshall and Gilbert. On the final drive of the game, Marshall hauled in four passes for 50 yards with the last going for 13, setting up LSU all the way down to the Missouri one-yard line.
Four chances, one yard.
With the game on the line, the offensive scheme took a change of course, and directed its sights on something that had not been successfully utilized all day: the ground game.
The Tigers put the ball in the hands of sophomore running back Tyrion Davis-Price, but he was stuffed at the one-yard line for no gain on back-to-back occasions, leaving the Tigers with two more opportunities to score if they wanted to leave Missouri victorious.
On third-and-goal from the one, Brennan attempted to find Marshall in the corner, but his pass was deflected at the line by what could be Missouri’s next first-round draft pick, Nick Bolton.
Brennan tried to put the ball back in his playmakers hands but failed to connect to his go-to man on back-to-back plays.
With one play left, Marshall ran an out route in the endzone, but Marshall could not haul in the pass.
“We didn’t execute. We didn’t finish,” Brennan said on the goal line stand.
“The world isn’t perfect. You’re going to have good days, bad days. Today was one of those days. They just came out there and outplayed us,” Marshall said.