Missouri

Surprised? Here’s why, even after back-to-back shutouts, Missouri football’s defense is not

Published

1 year ago

September 8, 2024

Surprised? Here’s why, even after back-to-back shutouts, Missouri football’s defense is not

Marvin Burks Jr. had every reason to be surprised.

The Missouri football safety was all alone, after all, and there was a pass coming toward him like it had been hardwired and programmed to end up in his arms. There wasn’t a Buffalo receiver in the area code. Bulls quarterback CJ Ogbonna, on the first-quarter, third-and-10 heave, may as well have gift-wrapped it for Burks.

It was as simple and sweet an interception as Burks likely will ever pluck from the sky.

He had every reason to be a little surprised at the present, but he wasn’t. Not really.

“I don’t wanna say I was surprised, because, like I said, we were watching a whole lot of film,” Burks said postgame. “… Basically, (Bulls receiver Nik McMillan) was (Ogbonna’s) guy that he was trying to look to, and I kind of saw them looking at each other pre-snap. So I just made a great play.”

There have been a fair few of those from the Tigers’ defense through two games.

Through two straight shutouts.

Mizzou is 2-0, and it has cruised to 2-0. Its 38-0 win over Buffalo on Saturday night on Faurot Field in Columbia marked eight straight quarters without allowing a point to open the 2024 season.

Dating back to last season — and for the first time since 1941, per MU coach Eli Drinkwitz — the Tigers have gone 12 straight quarters without allowing a touchdown. It’s the first time Missouri has held two straight opponents without a single point since 1935.

The transition wasn’t supposed to go this smoothly.

The Missouri defense was supposed to be one of the team’s foremost question marks.

Through two games — through two shutouts — consider any concerns resoundingly answered.

“It’s impressive. I think, you know, the general thing, and all offseason you see in the media, … ‘Oh, what’s the defense going to be?’” Missouri quarterback Brady Cook said. “You know, it’s still going to be that same ‘Death Row’ defense that we’ve had.”

For a unit that lost five starters to the NFL Draft, five more key pieces to graduation and had to replace a defensive coordinator all in the same offseason, that’s surely been a little bit of a surprise, right?

But there’s a reason Burks wasn’t shocked. There’s a reason nobody in the Mizzou camp even seems remotely surprised.

Under defensive coordinator Corey Batoon, the Tigers are giving off the impression that they know what’s coming.

New linebacker Corey Flagg mentioned it after the Murray State win, saying that color-coordinated signs from the sideline put them in prime position to make plays.

Burks echoed that.

“We just kind of feel like we just know what’s going on every time we’re out there,” the sophomore safety said. “On third down, second down, first down, end of game, end of half, … we just know what’s going on throughout the game, I feel like.”

The shutouts are impressive. The numbers behind them are jarring.

Missouri’s opponents, Buffalo and Murray State, have not sniffed the end zone. The furthest either of them has made it up the field was the MU 30-yard line. Including turnovers on downs, Mizzou forced the Bulls into three first-half turnovers on Saturday, which takes the Tigers’ total for the season to six.

Buffalo quarterback CJ Ogbonna passed for just 55 yards. That was more than double what Murray State managed last week.

Crucial to it all, Missouri’s opponents have completed just 5-of-27 third-down attempts between them. Buffalo went 1-of-12 on third downs.

It hasn’t just been shutouts. Nobody has been close to scoring.

Sure, Murray State and Buffalo are far overmatched, but what’s making it so difficult for teams to sustain drives against these Tigers?

Maybe Theo Wease Jr., who had a career-high 149 yards on 13 catches against the Bulls, can answer that.

“That’s ‘Death Row,’” Wease said. “They’re out there flying around; Coach Batoon is doing a good job disguising … and sending pressures from different places; and then, at the end of the day, the plays are being made.”

How about Cook, who surpassed Blaine Gabbert for sixth all-time on Missouri’s career passing yards standings?

“I went against them for however many days in fall camp. You know, they suffocate you,” the quarterback said. “They don’t give up much.”

The Tigers are likely to move up in the national polls Sunday after a loss from No. 5 Notre Dame. A top-25 matchup could be on deck next weekend, when Boston College, who surprised Florida State, comes to town.

Mizzou, a pair of shutouts in hands, has been all about no surprises so far, though.

“It’s a great confidence boost for us, but we’ve still gotta keep our head down,” Burks said. “And like I said, just keep working each and every day, each and every week because it’s … getting tougher and tougher each week as we go.”

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Missouri

1 dead after rollover crash Friday evening in Kansas City, Missouri

Published

5 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

1 dead after rollover crash Friday evening in Kansas City, Missouri

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One person died in a rollover crash Friday evening in Kansas City, Missouri, on Missouri 152 Highway near North Indiana Avenue.

The victim, whose identity has not been released, was alone in the vehicle, police said.

The crash happened at 5:35 p.m.

No word on what led to the crash.

—

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Missouri

Missouri Secretary of State admits to misleading ballot language for gerrymander referendum

Published

17 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Missouri Secretary of State admits to misleading ballot language for gerrymander referendum

Protestors gather in the rotunda to protest a redistricting plan that would split Kansas City into three districts on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the Missouri State Capitol, in Jefferson City, Mo. (Yong Li Xuan/Missourian via AP)

An attorney representing Missouri’s top election official admitted in court Friday that her client had authored ballot language that could “prejudice” voters about a referendum to block the GOP’s new gerrymandered congressional map.

The state constitution gives Missourians the right to veto new state laws by holding a statewide referendum vote. Since Missouri Republicans passed mid-decade redistricting in September, voters have been fighting to put it to a referendum. But the Republican Party – including Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins – are throwing every possible hurdle in its path.

That apparently includes ballot language.

In November, People Not Politicians, the group leading the referendum effort, filed a lawsuit challenging what it termed the “dishonest” text Hoskins had approved.

The court could take over the task of writing the ballot language if Hoskins fails to provide an acceptable version after three tries. A bench trial is scheduled for Feb. 9.

Missouri law requires the secretary of state’s ballot language to be a “true and impartial statement” that isn’t “intentionally argumentative” or “likely to create prejudice either for or against the proposed measure.”

At a hearing Friday, Hoskins’ attorney admitted the ballot summary was likely to create prejudice against the referendum, according to People Not Politicians. She also said the language would be revised in negotiations with the referendum organizers, the Missouri Independent reported.

Now, the state will get “another bite at the apple” to write new language, Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing People Not Politicians, told Democracy Docket.

“Rather than losing in court, today the Secretary of State simply admitted that he broke the law and sought to deceive Missouri voters,” Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, said in a statement. “While warranted, this admittance does little to alleviate our concerns that a subsequent summary prepared by him will be any more accurate. Missourians deserve the truth about their rights and the referendum.”

According to court filings, the official certified ballot language reads: “Do the people of the state of Missouri approve the act of the General Assembly entitled ‘House Bill No. 1 (2025 Second Extraordinary Session),’ which repeals Missouri’s existing gerrymandered congressional plan that protects incumbent politicians, and replaces it with new congressional boundaries that keep more cities and counties intact, are more compact, and better reflects statewide voting patterns?”

In addition to the misleading ballot language, Republicans have devised relentless obstacles for referendum supporters, including trying to decline certifying the petition on holding a referendum for being filed too soon, reject signatures for being collected too soon, block the petition from moving forward and intimidate referendum supporters.

Hoskins is also insisting on enacting the new map before voters can hold the referendum, breaking with Missouri precedent.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Jan. 8, 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Midday: 3-5-3

Midday Wild: 9

Evening: 6-3-9

Evening Wild: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Midday: 7-1-3-4

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-6-9-8

Evening Wild: 9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

27-28-39-47-58, Cash Ball: 04

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Early Bird: 14

Morning: 07

Matinee: 06

Prime Time: 07

Night Owl: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

02-26-28-29-34

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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