Missouri vs. Vanderbilt final score: Tigers bowl eligible after win in Nashville

Before we start this recap, I’d like you to do me a favor.

Go back in time five weeks to the night Missouri got throttled by Georgia.

Tell five weeks ago You that the Tigers would win the next five games and become bowl eligible.

If the shock of seeing a future version of yourself didn’t shock you into fainting, that statement would. Well, guess what happened?!?

The Missouri Tigers went down to Nashville and took down the Vanderbilt Commodores, 45-17, to improve to 6-5 and become bowl eligible.

It’s easy to say, “well, Missouri has played bad teams and they’re benefitting from that”. You’re not even necessarily wrong! But you play who you have on the schedule. Drew Lock is likely going to set the single-second conference record for passing touchdowns in a season, and the Tigers should improve to 7-5 after taking down a checked-out Bret Bielema led Arkansas Razorbacks next week. To go from 1-5 to 7-5 is impressive, any way you slice it.

Back to this game, specifically.

It was a beatdown.

The Tigers led 35-0 at halftime behind three passing touchdowns from Lock, a pick six, and a punt return touchdown. Vandy didn’t get on the board until Ralph Webb opened the second half with a one-yard score on the ‘Dores first drive.

It didn’t matter. The game was in hand for the Tigers by that point.

Kyle Shurmur had one of the stranger passing lines you’ll ever see, throwing for nearly 350 yards but also three interceptions, including one to Mizzou defensive tackle Terry Beckner.

In all, it was another game in a series of fun games for the Tigers, and another frustrating loss for Vanderbilt.