Missouri's Stand Leads to 45-41 Loss in Relocated Contest

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- In a game moved from Baton Rouge to Columbia 74 hours before kickoff, Missouri's goal-line stand in the final minute gave the homestanding Tigers a 45-41 victory over the LSU Football team on Saturday.

LSU (1-2), which was scheduled to play host to Missouri before Hurricane Delta forced the relocation, had four tries from the Missouri 1-yard line in the final minute of the game but was unable to push the ball across the line.

Quarterback continued his impressive start the 2020 season for LSU, completing 29-of-48 passes for 430 yards with four touchdowns. He wasn't intercepted.

Wide receiver , who was targeted on the final two plays of the contest, had 11 catches for 235 yards and three touchdowns. His yardage was fourth-most in LSU football history. Freshman tight end caught six passes for 97 yards with a touchdown, but missed a significant portion of the game with an injury.

Missouri quarterback Connor Bazelak was nearly perfect, completing 29-of-34 passes for 406 yards with four touchdowns including the game winner from 5 yards to Niko Hea with 5:18 remaining in the game.

Running back Larry Roundtree rushed for 119 yards on 18 carries while Tyler Badie and Jalen Knox each scored for Missouri.

Missouri outgained LSU, 586-479, and won despite three fumbles which led to 17 LSU points.

LSU returns to action on Oct. 17 when the Tigers travel to Gainesville to face Florida (2-1). Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

After winning the coin toss and electing to receive the opening kickoff, Missouri took advantage of a cornerback blitz by LSU to score the game's first touchdown. With LSU's coming from the left side, Bazelak took a flea-flicker from running back Larry Roundtree Jr. and connected with wide receiver Tauskie Dove for a 58-yard touchdown reception.

Missouri led 7-0 with 13:07 to play in the opening quarter.

Brennan used Gilbert four times for 59 yards on the LSU Tigers' first drive before Marshall scored on a 6-yard reception on first-and-goal. PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 8:03 to play in the quarter.

Missouri continued to dig into its bag of tricks, faking a punt on fourth-and-3 from its 47-yard line. However, punter Grant McKinnis' pass was broken up by LSU safety to turn the ball over.

Brennan threw a 32-yard pass to Marshall on the first play of the drive, and the the duo connected for a 2-yard touchdown on second-and-goal that gave LSU the lead, 14-7, with 3:45 left in the quarter.

Missouri responded with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with a Tyler Badie 29-yard rushing touchdown that tied the game once again.

The scoring spree continued early in the second quarter when LSU's forced a fumble by Missouri punt returner Kris Abrams-Draine. Long snapper recovered at the Misouri 25. On the next play, Brennan found Gilbert for a 25-yard touchdown grab.

LSU led 21-14 with 14:41 remaining in the half.

A strip-sack on third-and-6 on the Missouri 31 by LSU freshman linebacker allowed the Tigers to extend the advantage to 24-14, as York made a 42-yard field goal with 11:16 left in the second quarter.

As LSU's defense struggled to stop Missouri, the homestanding Tigers scored the final 10 points on the half with a 16-yard touchdown run by Jalen Knox with 7:33 to play and a 52-yard field goal attempt only 1:56 before the half.

The game was tied at 24-24 at the break.

Though LSU started the opening drive of the third quarter with a 24-yard run by Davis-Price, Marshall wasn't able to handle a third-down pass from Brennan and LSU punted. Thirty year-old punter 43-yard effort rolled out of bounds at the Missouri 2-yard line.

On the first play, Roundtree was stripped of the ball by LSU safety and linebacker came up with LSU's third fumble recovery of the contest.

On his second-straight run, Davis-Price scored from the 1 to give LSU a 31-24 lead with 12:25 let in the quarter.

Missouri quickly answered the score with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Micah Wilson when LSU's defense left the wide receiver uncovered on the right side of the formation. The Tigers needed only four plays to move 75 yards and tie the game for the fourth time, 31-31.

The see-saw offensive battle continued, as Brennan looked for Marshall deep on the first play of the ensuing drive and hit the 6-foot-3 receiver in stride at the Missouri 40. Marshall sprinted to the end zone untouched and LSU regained the lead after 10 seconds of play. LSU led 38-31 at the 10:36 mark of the third quarter.

Missouri punted for the first time, a 66-yard effort that rolled into the end zone for a touchback. LSU was guilty of a blind-side block and started the drive from its 10. After advancing to its 47 with a 15-yard catch by Marshall and an 11-yard catch by , LSU's drive stalled and Von Rosenberg punted to the Missouri 17.

Missouri again rolled down the field with little resistance, advancing 83 yards in seven plays to tie the game for the fifth time, 38-38.

A 44-yard completion to Marshall moved Brennan over 300 yards, however, a holding penalty put LSU behind the chains. A 51-yard field goal by York moved LSU into a 41-38 lead on the final play of the third quarter.

Both teams missed long field goals in the fourth quarter, as a 56-yard effort by Missouri's Harrison Mevis was short and left, and a 45-yard attempt by York was blocked.

A 69-yard pass from Bazelak to Luper on Missouri's next possession setup a 5-yard touchdown pass to Niko Hea gave Missouri its first lead, 45-41, with 5:18 left to play.

LSU was able to bleed the all but 16 seconds off the fourth-quarter clock after a 74-yard drive, but four unsuccessful attempts from the Missouri 1-yard line -- two runs by Davis-Price and two passes to Brennan -- turned the ball over.