SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 7, 2013
No. 3 Auburn 59, No. 5 Missouri 42: Tre Mason rushed for an SEC Championship-record 304 yards and four touchdowns as Auburn completed its turnaround from going winless in conference play a year ago to winning the SEC title in coach Gus Malzahn's first season.
Quarterback Nick Marshall added 101 yards and a score on the ground and threw a touchdown pass as Auburn (12-1) rolled up 677 total yards - 545 on the ground. Sammie Coates caught six passes for 94 yards and a touchdown for Auburn, which likely landed itself a spot in the national championship game when Ohio State lost to Michigan State 34-24 later Saturday.
James Franklin finished 21-of-37 for 303 yards with three touchdowns and an interception and rushed for 62 yards and a score for Missouri (11-2), which was denied its first league title since 1969. Dorial Green-Beckham caught six passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns and Henry Josey rushed for 123 yards.
Missouri briefly took a 34-31 lead in the third quarter on Franklin's 10-yard TD pass to Marcus Murphy, but Auburn answered with two quick scoring drives sandwiched around a rare defensive stop to take a 45-34 advantage. Josey's 65-yard scamper set up Franklin's 5-yard touchdown run as Missouri pulled within 45-42, but Auburn owned the fourth quarter with Mason tacking on touchdown runs of 1 and 13 yards and the defense coming up with a pair of stops on fourth down.
Auburn took a 28-27 lead into the locker room after a wild first half at the Georgia Dome in which Auburn rolled up 282 rushing yards - 195 from Mason - but lost two fumbles, one of which Missouri's E.J. Gaines returned for a touchdown. Franklin and Green-Beckham hooked up for a pair of long touchdown passes, including a 55-yard strike with 18 seconds left in the half to shift the momentum in Missouri's favor.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Mason (22) broke the school record for rushing touchdowns in a season set by Cam Newton in 2010. กญ The combined 101 points shattered the previous high point total in an SEC Championship of 75 in 1996. กญ Missouri has forced at least one turnover in 43 consecutive games and has 29 takeaways this season. กญ Auburn K Cody Parkey booted a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter, tied for the longest in the SEC Championship.