Did you guys hear that? That was Ahmad Hardy scoring yet another touchdown. Missouri gets a dominant win against the Bulldogs, in which Ahmad Hardy put the team on his back, rushing for 300 yards on JUST 25 carries. That is quite literally unheard of. Are we entirely sure that Marshawn Lynch isn’t in that jersey? Is this some sort of “Clark Kent” trick? The world may never know.

When Ahmad Hardy had 97 yards on 10 carries by the end of the first half, I thought that was pretty impressive. Why not just add another 203 in the second half I guess? Ahmad Hardy is the second Missouri running back to hit 300 yards in a game… ever. The company in question? Devin West.

That wasn’t the only notable stat however. This game was drunk, on so many levels, so why not throw in two pick-sixes, courtesy of Toriano Pride Jr and Marvin Burks Jr. That is also just the second time in Missouri’s history that has happened. A record-setting night, but literally. Here are my initial takeaways from tonight’s game.

1. Zollers was certainly not perfect, but improved: Matt Zollers had a rough week in his previous outing against the Aggies, and that may be an understatement. The performance left some fans (over reactionary ones) questioning if Zollers truly is the future of the program, like Eli Drinkwitz says he is. While tonight wasn’t necessarily impressive in the statistical department, Zollers settled in early and even threw 2 touchdown passes, something that could help his confidence going forward.
2. Darris Smith, I was not familiar with your game: Darris Smith heading into tonight’s game had two sacks on the season. Understandable, given he’s playing behind two future NFL defensive ends. Darris Smith was the best defensive end on the field no question. By the time the game was over, Smith notched his season total, showing the potential many Mizzou fans believe he has. Smith also added 3 tackles for loss, truly a grown man performance.
3. Donovan Olugbode continues to impress: Donovan Olugbode was quiet compared to last week, only notching 2 receptions for 31 yards. However, one of those was a 26-yard TD grab, one that required an immense amount of skill. Each week, the true freshman makes the case as to why he could be the #1 receiver on this Tigers team. In Matt Zollers presser, Zollers was asked about what makes Donovan so special. Here’s what he had to say: “I mean, obviously, what sticks out is his hands. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I know that after every single practice, fall camp, spring ball, he stayed out there and caught at least 100 passes. So just his hands.” Zollers remarked.
4. In a week the Tigers could’ve folded, they responded in a big way: After the A&M loss, the Tigers college football playoffs were buried, unable to be dug up again until next season. The team could have folded, laid down, you name it. On the contrary, the Tigers showed up in a big way and played for the seniors, something nearly every Tigers player remarked on in their pressers. Up 14-10, the Tigers would take advantage of a botched snap on a State field goal and score a TD just five plays later. That momentum swing gave the Tigers enough juice going forward, leading them to a statement victory.
5. Pribula might be close to a return: My last takeaway is more speculation. Beau Pribula warmed up today in warm-up clothes, with no noticeable limp to him and no sort of brace. Pribula was doubtful on the SEC injury report up until game time, so it’s not unreasonable to say he could be making his way back soon.

Overall, a very solid game from the Tigers tonight. A big win, but it won’t get any easier as the Tigers will go to Norman next week to take on what will likely be a top 10 Sooners team.