Brady Cook completed 21 of 30 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns as Missouri posted a 34-17 win over visiting Abilene Christian on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.
Dominic Lovett caught seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers (2-1). Luther Burden III had a 78-yard touchdown punt return and 177 all-purpose yards.
Maverick McIvor completed 19 of 32 passes for 203 yards with a touchdown and interception for the Wildcats (2-1). Jermiah Dobbins added 69 rushing.
Missouri outgained Abilene Christian 487-308, but the Tigers were slowed by nine penalties for 85 yards and two missed field goals by Harrison Mevis.
After Missouri forced Abilene Christian’s offense into a three-and-out sequence to open the game, Burden returned the ensuing punt 78 yards for a touchdown.
Moving from their own 1-yard line, the Wildcats went 77 yards to set up Blair Zepeda’s 38-yard field goal.
Cook’s 79-yard touchdown pass to Lovett over the top of the secondary pushed Missouri’s lead to 14-3.
The Tigers made it 17-3 with Mevis’ 32-yard field goal with 3:21 left in the first half. Cook’s 25-yard completion to Cody Schrader was the key play on the scoring drive.
Missouri followed up Ennis Rakestraw Jr.’s interception with Cook’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Nathaniel Peat for a 24-3 lead.
The Wildcats scored a defensive touchdown to cut their deficit to 24-10. David Oke sacked Cook and forced a fumble, with Alexander Duke recovering the ball in the end zone.
The Tigers responded with an eight-play, 85-yard touchdown drive to build a 31-10 lead. Cook got Missouri rolling with a 29-yard run and he finished the sequence with a 13-yard scoring pass to Lovett.
Mevis’ 52-yard field goal with 3:11 left made it 34-10. The Wildcats countered with McIvor’s 49-yard touchdown pass to Blayne Taylor that finished off a five-play, 75-yard drive.
–Field Level Media
