Missouri 14, Central Florida 10

Shane Ray and Markus Golden are terrors.

Missouri’s starting defensive ends can singlehandedly destroy drives, but not entire games.

Granted, UCF’s skill players are tremendous — better than any team on Missouri’s schedule outside of Georgia and Texas A&M — but the Tigers defense has some major issues.

The 46-game turnover streak is on the line. Missouri’s smoke-and-mirrors defense has relied on a combination of the elite defensive ends and forcing turnovers. Without both of those in place to mask the flaws, it’s not a pretty picture.

The secondary too often doesn’t offer tight coverage, and when it does, the defensive backs haven’t made plays on the football. (John Gibson and Braylon Webb gave up a long completion to Josh Reese on third-and-19, leading to a field goal. Both players were in position, but failed to prevent the catch.) The linebackers abandon their gap responsibilities or get caught in the wash too easily.

UCF ran at Ray repeatedly, and though Ray collected a few more tackles for loss, the Knights also racked up nice gains by handing the ball to receivers and utilizing quarterback draws.

Missouri halted one impressive UCF drive inside the 10-yard line, leading to a short field goal, and froze another near the end of the first half, forcing a missed 47-yard field goal. The Knights held the ball for 19:31 of the first half compared to 10:29 for the Tigers, and ran 35 plays to Missouri’s 24.

Maty Mauk pulled his usual, throwing two touchdowns and an interception on three possessions. (All-American candidate and cornerback Jordy Glenn made a terrific play on the pick.) Jimmie Hunt secured both the touchdown catches, including a first-quarter beauty in which Mauk rolled left away from pressure and squeezed a rope through a tight window.

If not for a few timely third-down stops, the Tigers could find themselves down 21-14. Instead Missouri is in good position to win this game. But UCF controlled the first half, and right now the Missouri defense looks more and more exposed.