Replacing five NFL draftees and your coordinator on defense is supposed to be hard?

Tell that to Mizzou, which still hasn't allowed a point this season.

Missouri football quarterback Brady Cook rushed for two touchdowns, the Tigers’ defense forced three turnovers as part of a second straight shutout, and No. 9 Mizzou handcuffed Buffalo in a 38-0 win Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.

The Tigers overcame a sluggish start on offense with a 21-point second quarter, which included two rushing touchdowns from Cook, who went 26-of-28 for 228 yards, no touchdowns and an interception before taking his leave in the fourth quarter.

The quarterback’s highlight play came on play-action 31 yards from goal, as he hurdled one would-be tackler, broke free and dove head-first between two Bulls defenders to cross the goal line. He rushed for 62 yards.

MU safety Marvin Burks Jr. picked off Bulls quarterback CJ Ogbonna on the second series of the game, and Missouri forced two turnovers on downs before the half was done.

Luther Burden III went to the locker room in the second quarter and did not return due to illness, a team spokesperson confirmed to the Tribune.

Each of MU's five touchdowns came on the ground. Burden punched in the first, and running backs Nate Noel and Jamal Roberts each scored for the second straight game.

Wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. had a productive day while Burden mostly sat, putting up a career-high 149 yards on 13 catches.

Fourth quarter

9:10 p.m.: There was a garbage time touchdown from Jamal Roberts, who punches in his second of the season.

8:50 p.m.: It's almost all reserves in the game for Mizzou now, including quarterback Drew Pyne. The last remaining question is the shutout.

8:39 p.m.: The Missouri defense gets another stop, and backup defensive end Jakhai Lang is responsible for two straight sacks of the Buffalo QB to force another punt.

End of third quarter: Missouri 31, Buffalo 0

8:26 p.m. — Missouri 31, Buffalo 0: Nate Noel gets his touchdown after all, punching it in from 4 yards. That should seal the win for the Tigers, as the running back has now scored in two straight games.

8:22 p.m.: A face mask violation call on Mitch Walters pulls back a Nate Noel touchdown. Penalties have been problematic all night long for the Mizzou offense.

8:14 p.m.: Missouri offense will have a short field after forcing yet another three-and-out. Buffalo has mustered just 121 yards of total offense here, with 5 minutes, 18 seconds left in the third quarter. Cook and Co. will take over on the Buffalo 47-yard line.

8:01 p.m.: Brady Cook throws his first pick of the season on the Tigers' first drive of the second half.

7:57 p.m.: The teams are back out for the second half, but star wide receiver Luther Burden is "unlikely" to return to the game tonight, according to a team spokesperson, as he is suffering from an illness.

Half time: Missouri 24, Buffalo 0

7:31 p.m.: Missouri ends the half with a missed 52-yard field goal attempt from Blake Craig. Tigers go into the break up 24-0.

7:15 p.m. — Missouri 24, Buffalo 0: Brady Cook, take a bow. The quarterback runs it in from 31 yards, hurdling a would-be tackler just past the line of scrimmage, showing some elite speed, and then diving head-first in trademark style over the last possible defender and into the end zone.

7:10 p.m.: It's another turnover on downs for Buffalo, and that's the third turnover forced of the game for the Missouri defense.

6:58 p.m., Missouri 17, Buffalo 0: Touchdown Missouri. Another penalty for the Missouri offense — illegal formation at the goal line — but it doesn't prove costly. Brady Cook fakes a pitch to Burden on third-and-goal from the 3, before powering home, just inching across the goal line.

6:56 p.m.: The Missouri offense has woken up. Brady Cook is showing some tremendous touch, threading a pass to Theo Wease Jr. to save a third-and-6 at midfield, then dropping one of him outside the right numbers for a 39-yard gain. Tigers move inside the 5.

6:51 p.m.: No change from the Mizzou defense. Tigers cap another three-and-out with a third-down sack from defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. MU offense back on the field quickly.

6:46 p.m., Missouri 10, Buffalo 0: Touchdown Missouri. Much better on the other side of the break from the Missouri offense, and the Tigers have found the end zone for the first time today. Luther Burden III takes a handoff from Brady Cook and breaks the left edge to find the end zone.

End of first quarter: Missouri 3, Buffalo 0

6:37 p.m.: The first quarter ends with two penalties from the Missouri offense — holding and ineligible receiver downfield — in quick succession. It's been a sleepy, sloppy start from that unit. Tigers will return with a second-and-16 near midfield.

6:30 p.m.: Buffalo was putting together a solid drive, but the Bulls decided to go for a fourth-and-7 from just inside the Missouri half, and Ogbonna's pass goes incomplete and it's a turnover on downs. MU cornerback Dreyden Norwood provided blanket coverage. Missouri's defense has forced turnovers on two straight series.

6:21 p.m.: Missouri misses a 49-yard field goal attempt on the other end of the Marvin Burks Jr. turnover. That's the first miss of Blake Craig's career. Another unsustained drive for the Tigers' offense and the score stays 3-0 Tigers.

6:17 p.m.: Turnover for the Missouri defense. Mizzou safety Marvin Burks Jr. picks off CJ Ogbonna on third down, and Missouri has the ball back. Not sure who that pass was intended for. Burks was the only player in the area.

6:11 p.m.: Field goal Mizzou, as Blake Craig makes the first 50+-yard attempt of his career. That was good from 51. False start on third-and-short from center Connor Tollison stalled the Tigers' opening drive, but points are on the board courtesy of the kicker. Missouri 3, Buffalo 0.

6:05 p.m.: No beat skipped from the Mizzou defense, which forces a three-and-out on the first series of the game. Great read from the tackles to stuff Buffalo quarterback CJ Ogbonna on the first play, then blanket coverage from Triston Newson and Joseph Charleston to get the MU offense on the field.

Pregame updates for Missouri football vs. Buffalo

6 p.m.: The players have walked out of the tunnel. Hells Bells has played. Big Mo has been drummed by MU softball coach Larissa Anderson. Mizzou has won the toss and deferred to the second half, meaning the ball will be kicked to Buffalo. The next update you find here will be from the game.

5:48 p.m.: Relevant news out of Indiana: No. 5 Notre Dame has lost to Northern Illinois. If Mizzou wins, it will be climbing in the national polls this week.

5:37 p.m.: Two injury potential updates: First, Jordon Harris appears to be the starter in place of an injured Brett Norfleet at tight end. Second, although right guard Cam'Ron Johnson was announced as the starter by the stadium PA, backup Mitchell Walters took all of the reps with the first-team as the Tigers went through last-minute drills. I'd expect Walters to start and Johnson to sit.

5:02 p.m.: Players are beginning to emerge from the south end-zone tunnel in pads, which means it's time to take roll. Any injury news will be updated shortly.

4:32 p.m.: The gates are open at Faurot Field, and the students are sprinting to the front. This is expected to be a sellout crowd, again, tonight. Approximately 90 minutes until kickoff.

4:16 p.m.: Brady Cook is getting in some pre-warmup reps on Faurot Field right now. After a few missteps on the deep ball in Week 1, guess what he's currently up to? Tossing passes from the 45-yard line to the goal line, where a potent deep ball option, wide receiver Marquis Johnson, is standing and catching. Maybe something to watch for today.

4:10 p.m.: Some score updates from around the country on Missouri's future opponents, while the stadium is still quiet in Columbia:

Arkansas lost on the road at No. 16 Oklahoma State in overtime, 39-31; Boston College, the Tigers' Week 3 opponent, is up 42-0 over Duquesne at halftime; South Carolina is beating Kentucky at the half, 10-6, in Lexington in the first SEC matchup of the 2024 season; Auburn is down 14-7 at home against Cal at halftime; and UMass is down 17-13 at Toledo at the half.

3:42 p.m.: In weather news, it doesn't get a whole lot better than it currently is in Columbia. Looks like it'll be approximately 70 degrees at scheduled kickoff time, and if there's a cloud in the sky, I don't see it.

3:41 p.m.: Missouri's players and coaches are in the building, and there are now approximately two-and-a-half hours until kickoff. Other than tight end Brett Norfleet, who reportedly is out for the game against the Bulls, no Mizzou players were obviously missing as they entered the building for tonight's game. Wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. was with the team after sitting out most of the Murray State game.

All of our Missouri football coverage ahead of Week 2

You can get up to speed on all of our Mizzou coverage by previewing this week’s game at the following links:

More: Meet Blake Craig, Missouri football’s successor at kicker for Harrison Mevis

More: Who’s up after Brett Norfleet? 3 things we’re watching as Missouri football faces Buffalo

More: Missouri football vs. Buffalo: Scouting report, score prediction for Week 2 game

More: Missouri football announces sellout for Buffalo game, setting up 7th straight capacity crowd

More: Why building competitive depth is top of Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz's mind

More: Top-10 Tigers: Missouri football moves up in both polls

More: Depth reps: 3 takeaways from Missouri football’s reserve appearances in opening day win

How to watch Missouri football vs. Buffalo

TV Channel: N/A

Stream: SEC Network+ with ESPN+

Date: Saturday, Sept. 7

Time: 6 p.m. CDT

Missouri’s game against Buffalo will kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on SEC Network+, meaning it does not have a traditional television designation.

Fans will be able to access the game via the streaming service ESPN+.

Missouri vs. Buffalo series history

• Series record: Missouri leads 1-0

• Missouri’s last win: Missouri 42, Buffalo 21 (Sept. 20, 2008)

Missouri football 2024 schedule

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football records 2nd straight shutout in win over Buffalo