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COLUMBIA, Mo. 鈥� Despite the tempting possibility, the tantalizing potential for it to change, the pecking order between Missouri and Alabama remains the same: Tide over Tigers.

That was the status quo enforced by Saturday鈥檚 Southeastern Conference matinee that saw No. 8 Alabama control the ball to keep No. 14 Mizzou at bay, delivering the Tigers a 27-24 defeat.

Missouri (5-1, 1-1 SEC) recovered from a two-score deficit to tie the game in the second half but was error-prone and never delivered the blows needed to suppress a more dynamic Alabama (5-1, 3-0).

MU鈥檚 offense was largely contained by the Crimson Tide. Quarterback Beau Pribula completed just 16 of 28 passes for 167 yards, one passing touchdown and two costly interceptions 鈥� the latter blowing chances of a miraculous comeback.

Running back Ahmad Hardy posted a season-low 52 rushing yards.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson looked like a star signal-caller even in the face of Missouri鈥檚 defensive front that sacked him four times. Simpson threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns.

Scripted drives lean on strengths

Both teams鈥� opening drives went more or less according to their established strengths heading into the game: MU鈥檚 rushing attack and Alabama鈥檚 dynamic passing game.

Mizzou ran the ball on its first five plays from scrimmage, getting a couple of nice holes open for Hardy while Pribula scrambled up the sideline for one 23-yard effort. With the intent to run promptly established, the Tigers turned to play-action, where Pribula put the ball up for Brett Norfleet along the edge of the field. The 6-foot-6 tight end secured the catch and then charged up the sideline for a 26-yard score.

Alabama also scored on its opening drive to tie the game at 7-7, benefitting from a couple of tight coverage windows picked apart by Simpson, who then threw a short touchdown to running back Kevin Riley.

Two costly penalties from defensive end Zion Young 鈥� separate unsportsmanlike conduct and offside offenses 鈥� bailed out and preserved the drive for the Crimson Tide.

Inconsistent first half

As the first half ticked on, Mizzou鈥檚 offense turned inconsistent. Getting away from the run on early downs set up longer third downs, which didn鈥檛 go well for the Tigers. They converted only one of six third downs in the first half.

The rockiness of the offense was especially evident in Pribula. The quarterback fumbled on one third down, saved by a teammate falling on top of it, then lucked out with a should-be interception dropped by a Tide defensive back.

The Missouri defense was spotty in its own right. As was the worry entering the game, Simpson proved to be poised and fearless in dissecting the MU secondary.

The home corps of defensive backs lost a member when safety Marvin Burks Jr. was ejected in the first quarter for a targeting penalty.

Down by 10 points deep into the second quarter, defensive end Damon Wilson II gave the Tigers their first third-down stop of the game on the fifth time of asking, sacking Simpson to back 鈥楤ama out of field goal range.

Mizzou, helped by a 39-yard run from Jamal Roberts but later hampered by a holding penalty, kicked a 35-yard field goal as the first half clock expired to head to the break down 17-10. That boot from true freshman Robert Meyer was the second longest of his career and looked to be nearly blocked.

Critical turnover flips momentum

If those initial drives of the game were important, the first possessions of the second half seemed like they鈥檇 be just as vital. And that was before the turnover.

Young and linebacker Josiah Trotter combined to strip sack Simpson on Alabama鈥檚 first play from scrimmage after halftime, and Wilson recovered the ball at the 19-yard line. Starting a drive from within the red zone, the Tigers only needed three plays to score.

Pribula ran the ball in from 5 yards out, tying the game at 17 points apiece.

Further cementing the flip of momentum, safety Jalen Catalon charged down from the secondary to stop a Simpson third-down scramble short of the sticks. After allowing the Tide to move the chains on their first four third downs of the game, that was Mizzou鈥檚 third consecutive third-down stop.

2nd turnover flips it back

Alabama retook the lead via a chip shot field goal, which was a win for Missouri after a nine-minute drive from the Crimson Tide. Alabama looked to have scored a touchdown, but the play was called back because Simpson鈥檚 knee had touched the ground as he stumbled trying to hand the ball off on a goal-line run.

The Tigers held strong inside their own 5-yard line to restrict the Tide to only three points.

But just as MU鈥檚 drive was getting going, Pribula threw an interception for the fourth consecutive game. He was looking to Kevin Coleman Jr., but the receiver did not run the route the quarterback expected, streaking straight instead of a comeback pattern.

After dropping a pick earlier in the game, the Crimson Tide secured this one for a tough-to-stomach turnover. They failed to capitalize on the takeaway, though, missing a 49-yard field goal try to return the ball to the Tigers.

4th-down contrast, 2nd pick clinch game

Mizzou ran a fake punt from its own 37-yard line to try to find some juice but came up 1 yard short.

The difference between the offenses: When the Crimson Tide faced a fourth down of their own, Simpson zinged a 29-yard pass 鈥� he only needed 8 yards 鈥� into the hands of Brooks for a big gain.

Then, on fourth and goal from the 2-yard line, Simpson completed a short touch pass to uncovered running back Daniel Hill to score a touchdown and go up by two scores.

Freshman wideout Donovan Olugbode鈥檚 first career touchdown trimmed the lead to three points with 1:39 remaining, but Pribula鈥檚 throw missed Olugbode for another interception to seal the game for Alabama.

Up next

Missouri鈥檚 marathon of a six-game season-opening homestand is complete. The Tigers will head on the road for the first time in 2025 next week, visiting an Auburn team that entered Saturday 3-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC games.

That contest will be under the lights at Auburn鈥檚 Jordan-Hare Stadium, but the exact kickoff time and TV designation won鈥檛 be finalized until later Saturday, depending on the result of Auburn-Georgia. Kickoff will be at either 6 or 6:45 p.m.

No. 8 Alabama 27, No. 14 Missouri 24

Alabama 7 10 3 7 鈥� 27

Missouri 7 3 7 7 鈥� 24

First Quarter

惭滨窜窜鈥�Norfleet 26 pass from Pribula (Meyer kick), 12:10.

础尝础鈥�Riley 6 pass from Simpson (Talty kick), 6:05.

Second Quarter

础尝础鈥�Horton 16 pass from Simpson (Talty kick), 14:51.

础尝础鈥�FG Talty 46, 7:10.

惭滨窜窜鈥�FG Meyer 35, :00.

Third Quarter

惭滨窜窜鈥�Pribula 5 run (Meyer kick), 13:18.

础尝础鈥�FG Talty 22, :09.

Fourth Quarter

础尝础鈥�D.Hill 1 pass from Simpson (Talty kick), 3:16.

惭滨窜窜鈥�Olugbode 3 pass from Pribula (Meyer kick), 1:39.

ALA MIZZ

First downs 22 14

Total Net Yards 325 324

Rushes-yards 44-125 28-163

Passing 200 161

Punt Returns 1-5 1-8

Kickoff Returns 2-36 2-39

Interceptions Ret. 2-0 0-0

Comp-Att-Int 23-31-0 16-28-2

Sacked-Yards Lost 4-25 2-8

Punts 3-33.667 4-36.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-0

Penalties-Yards 5-30 4-45

Time of Possession 38:34 21:26

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

搁鲍厂贬滨狈骋鈥�Alabama, Miller 20-85, D.Hill 6-16, Riley 6-16, Simpson 10-7, Proctor 1-2, (Team) 1-(minus 1). Missouri, Pribula 11-61, Hardy 12-52, Roberts 5-50.

笔础厂厂滨狈骋鈥�Alabama, Simpson 23-31-0-200. Missouri, Pribula 16-28-2-161.

搁贰颁贰滨痴滨狈骋鈥�Alabama, Brooks 4-58, Miller 4-25, Horton 3-34, Bernard 3-20, Riley 3-15, Cuevas 2-28, Lewis 2-17, Brailsford 1-2, D.Hill 1-1. Missouri, Olugbode 3-55, Norfleet 3-38, Roberts 3-27, M.Johnson 3-20, Hardy 2-2, Manning 1-17, Coleman 1-2.

MISSED FIELD GOALS鈥�Alabama, Talty 49.