COLUMBIA, Mo. — Vanderbilt and Missouri both got wake-up calls last week, albeit much different ones. The Commodores got the worst kind: one that ended with a loss on a last-minute touchdown by Georgia State, preventing them from getting off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2017, long before coach Clark Lea arrived.

So, why was it so difficult to get across the line? More: Missouri football jumped by SEC team in coaches poll, moves into tie with Big Ten team More: Where does Missouri athletics stand on its $ ...