Missouri football faced its first test; its first true adversity. The Tigers passed.

No. 6/8-ranked Missouri defeated Boston College 27-21 on Saturday in Columbia, improving to 3-0 with an offensive outburst around the turn of the half and a much-improved defensive showing as the game wore on.

Here is how we graded Missouri football as it improved to 3-0:

Offense: A-

Luther Burden’s second-quarter heroics on a see-it-to-believe-it touchdown catch changed the course of the game. Brady Cook kept the momentum rolling into the second half, taking a weaving run into the end zone to give MU a two-score lead. The QB threw for 264 yards on 21-of-30 passing. Burden caught six of those for 117 yards.

Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll were excellent in their first legitimate challenge of the season. Noel had 121 yards on 22 carries. Carroll went 57 yards on 12 carries.

There were third-quarter penalties, and a lot of them, but they get a pass this time. The offense, as a whole, was extremely efficient and showed more ability to create chunk plays.

Defense: B

Safety Tre’Vez Johnson’s pick in the second quarter is a significant reason Mizzou is 3-0. The momentum in the game switched once Johnson took that into BC territory.

The Tigers were careless early. Unsportsmanlike penalties, personal fouls and pass interference all gave Boston College freebies. The busted coverage on BC’s second touchdown was understandable, given the snap hit the ground, but could easily have been costly.

Mizzou turned it around after the Johnson pick, giving Castellanos and Co. no peace in the second half. Dreyden Norwood essentially sealed the game with the second pick of the game early in the fourth quarter.

A late score to a wide open Kamari Morales made the game tense, and the second example of busted coverage is certainly a concern. Until that drive, BC had managed just 13 yards of offense in the half.

Special teams: A

Blake Craig’s 55-yard field goal to end the second half probably would have been good from 70. The kicker, after missing twice last week, was perfect against the Eagles, going 4-for-4 on field goals, including his career-long, and making all his PATs.

Coaches: B-

Penalties continue to plague the team, and that's now on the coaches more than early season rust. The defense had a boatload in the first half, and the offense put up four straight on one drive to bring about a ludicrous second-and-59.

Those have to stop.

The Tigers’ gameplan to contain Castellanos and force him to throw the ball — which is not a strong suit when he’s under pressure — mostly worked. The offense again feels like it has another gear to reach, but you can’t really find too much fault with its efficiency in crunch-time. Kirby Moore called a good game.

Overall: B+

Missouri faced adversity for the first time this season. No ill-meaning to Murray State and Buffalo, but those games were never competitive.

Boston College is a competitive team with serious weapons. Missouri played poorly to start the game.

The Tigers overcame that, which is the sign of a good team.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Here’s how we graded Missouri football in turnaround win to beat Boston College