FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas saved one of its worst football performances of 2023 for last.
Playing the majority of the game without starting quarterback KJ Jefferson who injured a knee on the Razorbacks’ second possession, Arkansas was lifeless offensively until the fourth quarter and blown out 48-14 by ninth-ranked Missouri on Friday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The Razorbacks (4-8, 1-7 SEC) scored both of their touchdowns in the fourth quarter after the Tigers led 41-0.
Missouri (10-2, 6-2) recorded its second-most lopsided win in the annual series and improved to 8-2 against Arkansas since joining the SEC. The Tigers recorded their first 10-win season since winning back-to-back SEC East titles in 2013 and 2014.
Eliah Drinkwitz, the Missouri coach who grew up in nearby Alma, improved to 3-1 against the Razorbacks. Drinkwitz and Arkansas coach Sam Pittman were hired in the same week following the 2019 season.
"It's the capstone to the year," Drinkwitz said after the game. "I'm sure going to enjoy my day off tomorrow, I know that."
Pittman, who has been assured by athletics director Hunter Yurachek he will return as the Razorbacks’ coach in 2024, enters the offseason with a 23-25 overall record and 11-23 SEC record at Arkansas.
"We knew they had a very good football team, [a] physical football team," Pittman said. "They played a really good game today. Obviously, we did not."
Making his first trip of two trips to Northwest Arkansas in less than two weeks, Missouri running back Cody Schrader left his mark with 217 yards and 1 touchdown on 27 carries. Schrader had 192 yards before halftime with long runs of 36 and 43 yards.
Schrader, who began his career at Division II Truman (Mo.) State, is a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy that is given to the nation’s best player who began his career as a walk-on. The Burlsworth Trophy will be presented Dec. 4 in Bentonville.
The St. Louis native is also a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award as college football’s best running back. His 1,489 rushing yards are 475 more than the next-closest player in the SEC.
"Nothing's been given to us," Drinkwitz said. "There's not a guy on our award list that was there preseason. A lot of times those awards are based off of hype.
"You know, Cody Schrader wasn't listed any of them, and he should be a finalist for the Doak Walker Award."
Schrader’s 2-yard touchdown run on the Tigers’ first drive put Mizzou ahead 7-0.
Jefferson ran for 22 yards on the ensuing first down, but he fumbled as he was pulled down from behind. Mizzou recovered to set up a 24-yard field goal by Harrison Mevis.
Jefferson did not return with a left knee injury. The Tigers brought relentless pressure at his backup, Jacolby Criswell, who completed 12 of 20 passes for 96 yards and 1 touchdown in his first extended playing time in SEC play.
Criswell also lost three of Arkansas' five fumbles that were recovered by Missouri. Four of the fumbles were lost by quarterbacks and the Tigers sacked the Razorbacks four times.
"We got after the quarterback, for sure," Drinkwitz said. "[Six] forced [fumbles, five] recovered and one for touchdown. I think defensively we knew we needed to get to the quarterback.
"We knew we needed to stop quarterback runs, and I mean [Defensive coordinator Blake Baker] did it very effectively."
The Razorbacks gained 49 yards in Criswell’s first 6 drives, 38 of which came on a 7-play possession that resulted in a punt.
Arkansas’ offense was not the only ugly aspect of the game.
A fight broke out in the second quarter that resulted in the ejection of three players — Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou and Arkansas defensive linemen Eric Gregory and Zach Williams.
Williams got tangled up with offensive lineman Cam’Ron Johnson after a run up the middle. Then players from both teams got involved as helmets were knocked off and punches were thrown.
The scuffle came one play after pushing and shoving ensued on the Arkansas sideline when Missouri quarterback Brady Cook was hit late Taurean Carter on third-and-12 to set up first and goal.
"We were here to play football, they were here to fight," Drinkwitz said.
Cook scored on a 3-yard keeper moments after the ejections to extend the Tigers’ lead to 17-0.
Mevis added a 22-yard field goal late in the second quarter to put Missouri ahead 20-0 at halftime.
Cook threw touchdown passes of 16 and 11 yards to tight end Brett Norfleet in the span of 11 seconds early in the third quarter to continue the onslaught. Arkansas returner Isaiah Sategna had a kickoff hit off his face mask in between the scores and the Tigers recovered at the 11.
Missouri scored again with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter when linebacker Chuck Hicks stripped Criswell from behind and defensive tackle Jayden Jernigan returned the ball 10 yards for a touchdown.
Criswell led scoring drives of 70 and 75 yards late in the game. His 8-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Armstrong with 11:35 remaining broke up the shutout, and Isaiah Augustave ran for a 6-yard touchdown with 5:48 to play.
Arkansas had only 54 offensive yards before the first scoring drive.
"You saw that he’s a competitor," Pittman said of Criswell. "He’s athletic and things of that nature and tough. I thought he did a nice job leading the team.
"Obviously, in the fourth quarter he led us down to a couple touchdowns. [It was a] nice touchdown pass, but it’s really hard to judge him other than his character and his toughness to continue to get up and play."
Nathaniel Peat scored on a 1-yard touchdown run for Missouri with 2:37 to play. The Tigers finished with 259 rushing yards and averaged 6.2 yards per carry.
Mizzou out-gained Arkansas 370-234.
Cook completed 12 of 20 passes for 112 yards and the 2 touchdowns to Norfleet, who had 32 receiving yards. Luther Burden, the Tigers’ receiver who is a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, had 6 catches for 55 yards and a long 28.
Augustave, a freshman, rushed 15 times for 80 yards for the Razorbacks and scored his first career touchdown.
Arkansas finished the season with a 2-4 on-campus record and did not beat a Power 5 team at home.
The Razorbacks are scheduled to open the 2024 season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.