ATHLETICS

Tiger Triumph!

Mizzou takes down Nebraska for the first time since 1978, ending a 24-game skid against the Huskers.

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

Brad Smith tied a school record with four touchdowns, and Missouri scored twice on trick plays as the Tigers ended a 24-game losing streak against No. 10 Nebraska with a 41-24 victory on Oct. 11.

Nebraska (5-1, 1-1 Big 12) committed five turnovers in losing to Missouri (5-1, 1-1) for the first time since 1978, and for the first time at Faurot Field since 1973. Among the school’s first sellout crowd in four seasons were several members of the last team to beat the Huskers, including coach Warren Powers.

Fans tore down both goal posts after the game.

Missouri trailed 24-14 in the third quarter before outscoring Nebraska 27-0 in the fourth quarter. Nebraska entered the game with the nation’s top-ranked defense and was coming off its first shutout in three seasons.

Missouri ended a 45-game losing streak against Top 10 teams dating to a 14-3 victory over No. 9 Mississippi State on Oct. 3, 1981. The Tigers, who scored on a throwback pass to Smith and a fake field goal, also ended a 20-game losing streak against Top 25 teams.

Smith rebounded from a poor outing in a 35-14 loss two weeks ago that dropped Missouri from the Top 25. He was 13-for-27 for 180 yards and his first two interceptions of the year, making up for those errors with 123 yards on 18 carries plus a 47-yard touchdown reception off a lateral to Darius Outlaw.

Nebraska had been allowing only 219 yards per game, but gave up 452 yards to Missouri. In a nine-minute span of the fourth quarter, Missouri scored more points than the Huskers had allowed in a game all year.

Running Back Zack Abron pushes past Nebraska's Barrett Ruud as he heads into the end zone for the Tigers' first touchdown.

A 39-yard run by Smith on the first play of the fourth quarter cut the gap to three at 24-21. The Tigers then took a 28-24 lead on a fake field goal when holder Sonny Riccio, the backup quarterback, hit Victor Sesay for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 11:21 left.

Smith ran one yard on a naked bootleg to make it 34-24 with 5:53 left and an interception and 34-yard return by Zach Ville set up a 9-yard Smith run with 5:11 to go.

Smith also scored on a 47-yard reception after the lateral pass to Outlaw, a former quarterback, in the second quarter.

Jammal Lord ran for one touchdown and passed for a second for Nebraska, which also got a big game from backup tailback David Horne.

Mark LeFlore turned a swing pass from Lord into a 55-yard touchdown play for the game’s first score. Lord ran it in from 35 yards on the option as Nebraska, which trailed 14-10 at the half, made it 24-14 in the final minute of the third quarter.

Horne played most of the game after Josh Davis tried to field a punt at the 5 and fumbled, leading to Missouri’s first touchdown. Horne had 119 yards on 26 carries and Lord added 111 yards on 19 carries.

Nebraska’s last game was a 30-0 shutout over Troy State.

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Last Update: November 15, 2007