Mizzou Football Falls to No. 2 Alabama, 38-19

Saturday, September 26

Columbia, Mo.

6 p.m. (CT)

University of Missouri

0-1 , 0-1

Alabama

1-0 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Alabama

Missouri

9/26/2020 10:40:00 PM | Football

Box Score Gamebook Postgame Notes Photo Gallery

Tigers show fight, outscoring nation's second-ranked team in second half

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Football fell to No. 2 Alabama, 38-19, Saturday evening at Faurot Field to open the 2020 season. Despite the loss, Mizzou is just the second Alabama opponent to score 19 or more points against the Tide in a season opener since 2010, and just the third since 2003.

On the offensive side, junior QB Shawn Robinson completed 76-percent of his passes (19-for-25) with 185 yards and one touchdown. The completion percentage is the best by a Mizzou quarterback in their first start for the Tigers dating back to 2000. Defensively, the Tigers racked up nine tackles for loss, which is the most since the Tigers tallied nine against SEMO on Sept. 14, 2019. Sophomore S Martez Manuel led the charge with 3.5 tackles for loss.

RECAP

In the opening half, Alabama took control of the game, scoring the game's first 21 points. The Tigers got on the scoreboard in the second quarter when freshman K Harrison Mevis connected on a 27-yard field goal for the Tigers' first points of the game.

Alabama pushed its advantage to 35-3, but Mizzou kept battling and found the endzone for a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to slice the deficit 38-19 before time ran out.

Robinson connected with junior RB Tyler Badie on a 54-yard touchdown pass for the Tigers' first trip to the endzone of the 2020 campaign, marking his first career touchdown toss as a Tiger. Redshirt freshman QB Connor Bazelak finished out the fourth quarter with a 7-yard rush.

With a game total of 67 yards, senior RB Larry Rountree III gained sole possession of fifth on Mizzou's all-time career rushing yards list. The senior captain now needs only 383 more yards on the ground to become the program's all-time leading rusher by a non-quarterback.

TOP TIGERS

In his first start at Mizzou, junior QB Shawn Robinson went 19-for-25 (76-percent) for 185 yards and one touchdown. Robinson's completion percentage is the most by a Mizzou quarterback in their first start ever (min. 15 completions).
Junior WR Jalen Knox hauled in five catches for 63 yards, for his sixth career game with 60+ yards.
Sophomore S Martez Manuel recorded a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss and tallied a career-high seven total tackles.
Sophomore LB Devin Nicholson led the team in tackles, and he racked up a career-high 10 on the night.

TEAM NOTES

Mizzou finished with 19 points, just the second Alabama opponent to score at least 19 points in a season opener since 2010, and the third since 2003.
As a team, the Tigers recorded nine tackles for loss, the most since racking up nine vs. SEMO on Sept. 14, 2019 and the most tackles for loss by an Alabama opponent since Texas A&M in 2017.
Freshman K Harrison Mevis connected on his first-career field goal from 27 yards out and went 2-for-2 in his first game as a Tiger. He is the first true freshman kicker at Mizzou to score since Tucker McCann against West Virginia on Sept. 3, 2016.
Mevis scored his first extra point for the Tigers, the first true freshman kicker to do so in an opener since Tucker McCann in 2016.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

Freshman DB Ennis Rakestraw, Jr. is the first true freshman to start in a season opener on defense since Jordan Ulmer did against Missouri State (9/2/17). Rakestraw recorded four tackles in the game which is the record for a true freshman in an opening game since Jordan Ulmer against Missouri State in 2017.
Mizzou forced Alabama into a three-and-out on its first possession of the game. The last time Alabama started out a game with a three-and-out was 13 games ago in their season opener against Duke (8/31/19).
Sophomore S Martez Manuel recorded a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss, the most TFLs made by a Tiger since Jordan Elliott recorded four against Arkansas (Nov. 23, 2018).
Manuel set a new career high with seven tackles. He previously recorded one tackle on four separate occasions, most recently against Arkansas (11/29/19).
With one tackle for loss, senior S Joshuah Bledsoe matched a career high. He now has six career tackles for loss.
Sophomore LB Devin Nicholson set a new career high with 10 tackles. He previously recorded seven against Tennessee (11/23/19).
Sophomore DL Darius Robinson matched a career high of one tackle that he previously set at Georgia (11/9/19).
Redshirt senior DL Tre Williams forced his first career fumble in the fourth quarter. Sophomore LB Nick Bolton secured his first fumble recovery. He also recorded his third sack, the first one since Nov. 3, 2018 vs. Florida.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

In his first start at Mizzou, redshirt junior QB Shawn Robinson recorded a completion percentage of 76 percent, the bestby a Mizzou quarterback in their first start since at least 2000.
Junior RB Tyler Badie scored his sixth career receiving touchdown, the second of his career that exceeded 50 yards.
With 67 yards, senior RB Larry Rountree III passed Henry Josey for sole possession of fifth place on Mizzou's career rushing yard list. Rountree needs 383 yards to become Mizzou's all-time leading rusher by a non-quarterback.
In his first game at Mizzou, senior WR Damon Hazelton hauled in five passes for 34 yards.
Senior WR Keke Chism made his first catch as a Tiger and Division I athlete during the third quarter.
Junior WR Jalen Knox gained his most receiving yards since the Tigers played SEMO last season and tied his career-high number of receptions (five) for the third time.
Redshirt freshman QB Connor Bazelak recorded his first career rushing touchdown, and his first overall trip to the endzone with a last-second scramble in the fourth quarter.
Mizzou sits as the second Alabama opponent to score at least 19 points in a season opener since 2010, and the third since 2003.

UP NEXT

Next up, Mizzou travels to Knoxville, Tennessee next Saturday (Oct. 3) to take on the Vols. Kickoff is slated for 11:00 a.m. CT on SEC Network.

For all the latest on Mizzou Football, stay tuned to www.MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter (@MizzouFootball) and like the team on Facebook and Instagram.