COLUMBIA -- Missouri settled for field goals when it needed touchdowns.
The Tigers jumped ahead 13-0, becoming the first team to lead the No. 1-ranked Georgia Bulldogs this season, but they kicked field goal after field goal, leaving the door open for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs crept through the opening for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to come back for a 26-22 win Saturday night at Faurot Field.
“Two games in a row where we just need to learn to finish,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said. “I’m proud of the fight.”
On Missouri’s third possession, the Tigers got on the board for the first time. Missouri started with a short field, beginning at its own 46, then drove to get a first down at the Georgia 24.
A false start pushed the Tigers back, then Missouri completed three short passes to get to fourth-and-9 from the 26. Missouri was forced to settle for a 41-yard field goal after not taking a shot for the sticks.
Missouri scored its lone touchdown on its next drive, driving from its own 19 into the Georgia red zone, leading to a third-and-6 from the 10.
Brady Cook found Tyler Stephens on a wheel as Stephens escaped past a couple of defensive backs. Stephens reached up with his right hand on the run for a one-handed snag on the 10-yard score.
Missouri started its next drive on the Georgia 36 after the Tiger defense recovered its second fumble of the half, then used two plays to get to the 25.
Missouri tried some trickery with a reverse sweep that lost 12 yards, then the Tigers never recovered, ending the drive with a 49-yard field goal on fourth-and-16 from the 32.
“Didn’t get the job done,” Drinkwitz said.
After an elite start to the day, holding the Georgia offense that averaged more than 40 points per game through the first four weeks scoreless through the first 17:24, Missouri’s defense allowed the Bulldogs’ first points on a 40-yard field goal.
“This team really responds to adversity well,” defensive lineman Isaiah McGuire said. “We’re gonna continue to lean on each other.”
Missouri started its next drive at its own 25. After gaining a first down, Cody Schrader ran up the middle of the field and charged away from the chasing defenders, getting a late block down the field before being chased down at the 1. A false start pushed the Tigers back to the 6, then Missouri only got back to the 4 before kicking a 22-yard field goal with 3:16 left in the half.
Georgia was able to drive down the field and kick a 33-yard field goal as time expired to send the Tigers into halftime with a 16-6 lead.
Missouri’s defense allowed only 149 yards on 10-of-24 passing from Heisman hopeful Stetson Bennett in the first half and only 34 yards on the ground to Kendall Milton. Bennett ended with 24-of-43 passing for 312 yards, while Milton totaled 63 yards on the ground to complement leading rusher Kenny McIntosh who ended with 65.
“Holding a team like that to two touchdowns and field goals is really good,” defensive back Joseph Charleston said. “As a team, we played really well. I liked how there was no fear. You could tell that before the game and all the way through. I’m really proud of the team.”
Georgia kicked field goals on its first two drives of the second half, but Missouri continued to end drives with a two-score lead after settling for a 52-yard field goal and a 55-yard.
Missouri reached first-and-10 from the Georgia 30 before the 52-yarder after Mookie Cooper won a jump ball over his defender for a 46-yard catch on a deep ball.
The Tigers then lost four yards on two incomplete passes and a negative run to set up the field goal.
Missouri then reached the Georgia 39 on its next drive before gaining only one yard on three plays to set up the 55-yarder.
Missouri’s settling led to a banner day for Harrison Mevis, who connected from 56, 52, 49, 41 and 22 as well as kicking an extra point, rebounding well from his three misses in the past two weeks.
“Harrison Mevis did an incredible job,” Drinkwitz said.
Georgia scored 14 unanswered points on two touchdowns on its next two drives to take its first lead of the game with 4:03 left. The touchdowns finished a run of six consecutive drives that ended in points for the Bulldogs after Missouri kept the Bulldogs off the board for their first five drives.
“We can play with anybody,” Charleston said. “If we do the little things, we can beat anybody. That’s the main thing I took away. The locker room was really good after the game, we came together really well. I think the team was proud of each other. If we just do the little things in critical times, in critical moments, we can beat anybody in the country.”
Cook ended 20-of-31 passing for 192 yards and a touchdown, mostly going to Dominic Lovett who had six catches for 84 yards. Most of Lovett’s production came in the first half because he was held back from reentering after an injury. Drinkwitz said it was out of caution and protecting players from themselves after seeing other head injuries in the past week.
Mookie Cooper earned a larger share in the second half without Lovett, catching five passes for 55 yards. Cody Schrader led the rushing attack with six carries for 89 yards, mostly coming on the 63-yard rush, while Nathaniel Peat had nine carries for 37 yards.
Missouri (2-3, 0-2 SEC) will try to get back on track when it goes to Florida for an 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday.
Georgia (5-0, 2-0 SEC), now No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll, plays host to Auburn at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.