In Depth: Drew Lock Sets All-Time SEC Record Five TD Performance at Arkansas
11/24/2017 9:49:00 PM | Football
Drew Lock brakes Andre Woodson’s record for most touchdown passes in a single season by an SEC quarterback with a 10-yard strike to Albert Okwuegbunam in the second quarter.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It didn't take long for junior QB Drew Lock to take his place atop the record books in Friday's game. Lock entered the Battle Line Rivalry matchup against Arkansas two touchdowns away from the most touchdown passes in a season in Mizzou history and three touchdowns shy of the SEC record. By the time both teams ran back into their locker rooms for halftime, Lock had sole possession of both records after throwing for three touchdowns and 254 yards on 13 completions in the opening 30 minutes.
Lock secured sole possession of the Mizzou passing touchdown record when he connected with junior WR Emanuel Hall for a 56-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. It was the second touchdown hookup of the game between Lock and Hall; they previously connected for a 55-yard score earlier in the second quarter.
Those two touchdowns gave Mizzou 17 touchdown passes of 50+ yards on the season with six of those going to Hall. It also gave Lock 40 touchdown passes on the season, braking Chase Daniel's record of 39 touchdowns back in the 2008 season.
That touchdown tied Lock with Kentucky's Andre Woodson for the most passing touchdowns in SEC history, a record that Lock broke in Mizzou's next offensive possession.
The record-breaking touchdown looked very familiar to Mizzou fans as Lock connected over the middle of the field to redshirt freshman TE Albert Okwuegbunam for a 10-yard strike. The score tied the game at 28 while vaulting Lock passed Kentucky's Andre Woodson as the quarterback with the most touchdown passes in the history of the Southwestern Conference.
But the records didn't stop there. Lock's touchdown to Okwuegbunam gave the freshman tight end 10 touchdown receptions on the season, the most of any freshman receiver in Mizzou program history, passing Jeremy Maclin's nine touchdown performance in his senior 2007 season.
Lock again connected with Okwuegbunam in the second half, this time on an eight-yard strike into the corner of the end zone. That gave Lock his SEC record 42nd touchdown of the season while connecting with Okwuegbunam for his freshman school record 11th score of the season.
Lock added on his 43rd touchdown throw of the season, hooking up with senior WR J'mon Moore for a 24-yard strike. Lock floated the ball down his left side allowing Moore to highpoint the ball in the end zone before acrobatically dropping a single foot in bounds to give Mizzou a 45-42 lead late in the fourth quarter.
The Razorbacks responded with a field goal to tie the game at 45 with 5:00 left on the game clock. But Lock and the Mizzou offense came back with one of its best drives of the season, running 14 plays, covering 75 yards. Lock completed all three of his pass attempts, covering 45 yards, adding nine more yards on a run. Senior RB Ish Witter had nine carries for 30 yards on the drive which resulted in a 19-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Tucker McCann. McCann's kick gave Mizzou a 48-45 lead with five seconds remaining. The defense held strong on a last-ditch effort from Arkansas to keep the winning streak rolling, making Mizzou the first SEC team ever to finish a conference schedule 4-4 after starting 0-4.
Mizzou will look to rewrite the history books once more when the Tigers go bowling sometime in December. Mizzou will find out exactly when and where its next game will be on December 3, after the final college football playoff rankings are released.
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