WATCH: Missouri converts Hail Mary touchdown after Vanderbilt's fake field goal
That was a decision that head coach Clark Lea and the Vanderbilt Commodores might be thinking about for quite some time, as an ill-advised fake resulted in a wild Hail Mary touchdown for Missouri.
Vanderbilt, playing host to the Missouri Tigers, looked to be in a great position early in the first half Saturday. Both teams are in pursuit of their first SEC wins of the year, and Vanderbilt held a narrow, 14-10 lead with over a minute left in the first half. The Commodores, led by quarterback Mike Wright, put together a six-play, 31-yard drive to bring kicker Joseph Bulovas into long field goal territory. On fourth-and-7, the seventh play of the drive, Bulovas lined up for a 52 yard field goal — but the Commodores faked it, opting to let Bulovas run around the corner. He was stopped five yards short of the line of scrimmage, and 12 yards short of the first down, giving Missouri one last chance to score from their own 39-yard line.
Missouri quarterback Connor Bazelak completed a couple passes in the Tigers first two plays, bringing up second-and-4 on the Vanderbilt 45-yard line with just four seconds remaining.
Then, on the final play of the drive, Bazelak dropped back and let a 45-yard pass fly, connecting with Keke Chism for a touchdown as time expired.
If not for Vanderbilt’s strange fake field goal attempt, Missouri may not have scored again before halftime. But instead, Vanderbilt’s 14-10 lead quickly dissipated, and Missouri jumped out to a 17-14 lead at the half.
Bazelak finished the half with 15 completions on 20 pass attempts, good for 160 passing yards, one passing touchdown and one interception. Senior running back Tyler Badie led Missouri’s rushing attack with 14 carries for 58 yards and one touchdown.
Vanderbilt, playing with a depleted backfield after transfers and injuries, still had no problem rushing against Missouri, whose rushing defense ranks 129 out of 130 Division-I programs. Wright completed seven of 12 passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, while adding a 69-yard carry after finding space — Vanderbilt’s longest play from scrimmage this season. Additionally, true freshman Patrick Smith took 12 carries for 73 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Vanderbilt will receive the ball at half after deferring the coin toss, but now, the Commodores will look to regain the lead rather than add to it.