SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 25, 2014
Missouri 24, Vanderbilt 14: Maty Mauk threw two touchdown passes and the host Tigers racked up a season-high 244 rushing yards en route to a Homecoming victory.
Bud Sasser caught five passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns for Missouri (6-2, 3-1 SEC) while Mauk went 11-of-23 for 141 yards and added 58 on seven carries. Marcus Murphy gained 93 yards on 16 rushes and Russell Hansbrough added 87 and a TD on 19 attempts.
Johnny McCrary, the fourth different starting quarterback for Vanderbilt (2-6, 0-5) this season, was 17-of-31 for 196 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Steven Scheu caught a career-high six passes for a team-best 81 yards.
The Tigers converted their first possession into a 37-yard field goal but didn't get the offense going again until Hansbrough's 10-yard TD run with 3:19 left in the second quarter capped a 77-yard drive for a 10-0 lead. Vanderbilt answered with a 75-yard scoring drive as McCrary hit Nathan Marcus for a 9-yard touchdown with eight seconds left in the half.
Mauk and Sasser hooked up for a 13-yard touchdown with 2:27 remaining in the third quarter to make it 17-7, but the Commodores kept hope alive with their longest drive of the season as McCrary hit C.J. Duncan down the left sideline for a 29-yard TD that capped a 76-yard march. The Tigers responded with a 70-yard TD drive as Mauk connected with Sasser for a 25-yard score to seal it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Murphy became Missouri's all-time leader in combined return yards, passing Jeremy Maclin. กญ Vanderbilt was held scoreless in the first quarter for the sixth time in its eight games this season and has been outscored 62-17 in the opening period. กญ McCrary's 17 completions and 196 passing yards both marked season highs for a Vanderbilt quarterback.