SportsDirect Inc. staff
Jan 1, 2015
No. 14 Missouri 33, Minnesota 17: Marcus Murphy rushed for 157 yards on 12 carries and Russell Hansbrough added 114 yards and a score on 15 attempts as the Tigers pulled away in the fourth quarter to win the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Maty Mauk rebounded from two early interceptions to throw two touchdown passes and run for another, and Bud Sasser caught seven passes for 68 yards and two scores for Missouri (11-3). Mauk went 12-of-19 for 97 yards and rushed for 38 yards as the Tigers rolled up 434 total yards, including 337 on the ground.
Mitch Leidner finished 21-of-31 for 258 and a touchdown for Minnesota (8-5), which was in its first January bowl game since 1962. David Cobb rushed for 81 yards on 21 carries and Maxx Williams had seven receptions for 98 yards and a score for the Golden Gophers.
Mauk's 18-yard TD run put the Tigers ahead for good 19-14 with 9:16 left in the third quarter. Murphy had a punt return score called back early in the fourth quarter, but Hansbrough busted a 78-yard TD run five plays later to extend the Tigers' lead to 26-17 with 9:22 left, and Murphy broke a 69-yard run to set up Mauk's 7-yard TD pass to Sasser to seal it.
Rodrick Williams Jr. capped an 80-yard drive with a 20-yard TD run to open the scoring, but Mauk recovered after throwing interceptions on Missouri's first two drives and hit Sasser for a 25-yard TD to give the Tigers a 10-7 halftime lead. After Missouri turned a successful onside kick to open the second half into an Andrew Baggett field goal, Williams hurdled a defender as he rambled down the sideline for a 54-yard TD reception that put the Golden Gophers ahead 14-13.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Leidner, who completed 49 percent of his passes during the regular season, connected on 14 straight attempts, tying Adam Weber's school record for consecutive completions. … Hansbrough's career-long 78-yard TD run tied the Citrus Bowl record set by Oklahoma State's Terry Miller in 1978. … Minnesota has lost seven consecutive bowl games, tied with Ball State for the longest active streak in the FBS.