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. … 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. … McCrary's 17 completions and 196 passing yards both marked season highs for a Vanderbilt quarterback.