One failed bubble screen after another, and the bubble popped on South Carolina’s time as a ranked team.

The No. 25 Gamecocks failed to string anything consistent together on offense all afternoon against Missouri, with an array of screen passes allowing the Tigers to make tackles in space and ride their defense to a 23-10 upset victory at Williams-Brice Stadium.

South Carolina (5-3, 2-3 SEC) still has not won a game as a nationally-ranked team since 2014 and dropped its fourth consecutive home game as a ranked team dating back through those eight years with the homecoming defeat.

It was a flat performance from the start for South Carolina with only eight offensive snaps in the first quarter, and the inability to sustain drives was in stark contrast to what Missouri managed to produce against South Carolina’s defense.

The Tigers ripped off their longest touchdown drive of the season to open up the scoring, the second week in a row South Carolina’s defense allowed a 90+ yard scoring march. This one went for 96 yards on 15 plays, eating up 6:58 of clock in the first quarter.

Third down defense — a serious issue for the Gamecocks early in the season that had improved over the last four games — reared its ugly head again as the Tigers converted three of them on the touchdown march. For the game, Missouri was 8-of-16 on third downs compared to just 5-of-13 for South Carolina.

Missouri (4-4, 2-3 SEC) quarterback Brady Cook capped off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, and his legs were a distinct problem for the Gamecocks all afternoon. Cook rushed the ball for positive plays on all three of Missouri’s first-half scoring drives, including another one in the red zone that set up a Cody Schrader rushing score from a yard out on the next play to make it 14-0.

In total Missouri rushed the ball 40 times for 165 yards before late-game kneeldowns chopped the total down, a strong output from a ground game that has struggled to consistently pound out yards for most of the season. South Carolina on the other hand did not have any consistent rushing presence. MarShawn Lloyd only toted the ball seven times for 30 yards and did not get a carry in the second half, though it seemed like he was battling some injury issues a bit.

Some signs of life finally emerged for South Carolina trailing 17-0 late in the first half when Spencer Rattler led the offense on a touchdown drive he punctuated himself with a rushing score of his own to match his signal-calling counterpart on the other sideline. The Gamecocks went into halftime with a dash of momentum despite trailing 17-7 on the scoreboard, but it never fully materialized.

Even after Missouri’s Harrison Mevis shanked a 21-yard field goal and South Carolina responded with a Mitch Jeter field goal of its own to cut the deficit to one possession at 17-10, it did not stick.

Safety injuries were a recurring problem for Shane Beamer’s team in the game with Nick Emmanwori and Devonni Reed both spending time in the medical tent. While Reed was off the field receiving treatment with the score 17-10, Cook connected with Dominic Lovett for a 34-yard gain down the right sideline that pushed the momentum pendulum back in Missouri’s direction and quieted the crowd.

Lovett was the most explosive player in the game by far, totaling 148 yards on 10 receptions.

Missouri added a Mevis field goal on the drive and another in the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 23-10, and the defense teed off on South Carolina in obvious passing downs from there. The Tigers sacked Rattler three times and had consistent pressure in his face, reducing the offensive capabilities to quick throws and screen passes while it was desperately attempting to mount a late rally.

Dreyden Norwood iced the game when he intercepted a Rattler deep ball with 2:38 to play.

South Carolina will attempt to gain bowl eligibility again next week when it travels to Vanderbilt for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff in Nashville.