Missouri Tigers: 82-yard touchdown for one of SEC’s best

Nov 12, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver J'Mon Moore (6) runs the ball as Vanderbilt Commodores cornerback Tre Herndon (31) attempts the tackle during the second half at Faurot Field. Missouri won 26-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2016; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver J'Mon Moore (6) runs the ball as Vanderbilt Commodores cornerback Tre Herndon (31) attempts the tackle during the second half at Faurot Field. Missouri won 26-17. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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There are 82 days remaining in our college football countdown, and today’s countdown focuses on one of the most explosive players in the SEC in 2016.

There were not a lot of positives for the Missouri Tigers in 2016. It was the first year since 2000 that Gary Pinkel was not the head coach. The team went 4-8, and missed a bowl game for the second consecutive season.

But one of the positives for the Tigers was their passing attack. And that leads us to no. 82 in the Southbound and Down College Football Countdown.

Missouri’s Drew Lock threw an 82-yard touchdown pass to J’Mon Moore in the Tigers’ 26-17 win over Vanderbilt in 2016.

Must Read: 83 points in one of the best games of 2016

Not only did Missouri have one of the top passing attacks in the SEC in 2016, they also had one of the top pass catchers in J’Mon Moore.

In 2016, Moore led the Tigers with 62 receptions, 1,012 yards, and 8 touchdowns. At 6’3, 190 pounds, Moore has the look and the ability of a game-changing wide receiver. But if there’s one criticism of the rising junior, it’s that a lot of his production came in just a handful of games last season.

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Stats against Georgia, Vanderbilt, Delaware State (3 games): 

  • 24 receptions, 448 yards, 8 touchdowns.

Stats against everyone else (9 games): 

  • 38 receptions, 564 yards, 0 touchdowns.

Moore scored all eight of his touchdowns and recorded 44 percent of his receiving yards in those three games alone.

He, of course, had other productive games. Moore had nine receptions for 134 yards against Tennessee, and he had six receptions for 135 yards against Arkansas.

But against Florida and LSU, two of the best opponents Missouri played in 2016, Moore was shut down. In those two games combined, he had two catches for 31 yards. And coincidentally, or maybe not coincidentally, Missouri lost those two games by a combined score of 82-21.

In Moore’s five best games that we highlighted, Missouri went 3-2, and they only lost to Georgia 28-27 on a last second touchdown pass.

If the Missouri Tigers are going to improve on their 4-8 record from last season, they’re going to have to get their top receiving target involved every week.