MANHATTAN, Kan. | Missouri won more than a football game on Saturday afternoon.
Did more than end a 13-game losing skid to Bill Snyder-coached Kansas State teams and become, at 6-4, bowl eligible for a school-record fifth straight year.
Did more than score its first three second-half touchdowns of Big 12 Conference play in a sometimes mystifying, often frustrating season.
Forget debating whether Saturday’s 38-12 victory saved Missouri’s season. Coach Gary Pinkel’s stated and fulfilled mission was nothing less than to save the Missouri program.
“Last week was a tough week around Mizzou football,” Pinkel said of a shocking 40-32 loss to Baylor, the fourth loss in five games for the Tigers.
Even though Nebraska’s victory later in the day ended Missouri’s two-year reign as Big 12 North champs — setting up a winner-take-all game between the Huskers and Wildcats next Saturday in Lincoln — beating K-State was significant for the Tigers.
“That game,” Pinkel said, “was about a lot of things.
“Not only getting a sixth win, but also trying to preserve what we’re trying to create here: Excellence.”
It took perhaps two of Danario Alexander’s most exceptional catches, and a Brad Smith-like runaway after the second one, to pave the way.
In the first one, Alexander wrestled the ball away from K-State defensive back Tysyn Hartman early in the second quarter. Leaving Hartman in his wake, Alexander dashed 54 yards into the end zone and threw a kiss to Kansas State fans who Alexander said had taunted the Tigers in pregame warmups.
“I just wanted to give them something to go home with,” Alexander said.
Before he was through, Alexander gave a performance that will be hard to forget. He caught 10 passes from quarterback Blaine Gabbert for 200 yards and touchdowns of 54, 80 and 16 yards.
Alexander became the first Missouri player to top 200 yards receiving in back-to-back games — he caught 13 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Baylor.
But the biggest catch by Alexander — or anyone else — Saturday began late in the third quarter as a 15-yard route over the middle from the Missouri 20. Hit, Alexander refused to go down, then refused to be caught, out-running two Kansas State defenders who appeared to have an angle on Alexander, up the west sideline at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
The touchdown ended Missouri’s five-game string of Big 12 games without a second-half touchdown. It also gave the Tigers a 24-12 lead and seemed to unleash a team that had been doubled over in anguish much of the previous month.
The Missouri defense forced (by Jacquies Smith) and recovered (by Will Ebner) a Daniel Thomas fumble at the Missouri 39 on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Nine plays and 61 yards later, running back Derrick Washington rushed 4 yards for a touchdown that boosted Missouri on top 31-12.
Missouri’s Jarrell Harrison ended Kansas State’s next offensive possession, picking off a Grant Gregory pass and returning it 27 yards to the Kansas State 25.
Washington ran for 6 yards, then 6 more, then took a direct snap in Mizzou’s Jumbo formation and ran 13 yards through the middle of the K-State defense for the touchdown.
“We just came out and knew that we had to finish,” said Washington, who ran for 68 yards in 13 carries, his 5.2-yards-per-carry average topping the 3.4-yard average of Thomas, the Big 12’s premier running back who netted just 79 yards in 23 carries for K-State.
To reach Mike DeArmond, call 816-234-4353 or send e-mail to mdearmond@kcstar.com
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