Game report: Middle Tennessee 51, Missouri 45

First quarter

The key: Missouri senior linebacker Michael Scherer tackled Middle Tennessee senior I’Tavius Mathers for a 2-yard gain in the red zone, but Scherer also suffered a right knee injury that knocked him out of the game.

Second quarter

The key: Middle Tennessee sophomore Richie James caught a Brent Stockstill pass in the middle of the field, eluded three converging Mizzou defenders — senior cornerback Aarion Penton, sophomore safety Cam Hilton and redshirt freshman cornerback T.J. Warren — and dashed the remaining 56 yards for a touchdown.

Third quarter

The key: Freshman running back Damarea Crockett scored on a 21-yard touchdown, his fourth of the game. He’s the first true freshman in Mizzou history with four touchdowns in a game, and with 29 carries for 156 yards, he became the first true freshman with three 100-yard games.

Fourth quarter

The key: Stockstill, who finished 23 of 41 for 280 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, connected with senior wide receiver Dennis Andrews on a 5-yard touchdown that restored Middle Tennessee’s double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter and provided the game-winning points.

Offense

B

Missouri totaled 629 yards, but there were too many drops by wide receivers again and quarterback Drew Lock only completed half his passes. Plus, the false starts, yeesh.

Defense

F

Failing somehow doesn’t seem adequate here. Missouri gave up 300 yards rushing and 284 yards passing, didn’t get a turnover and remains a sieve when it comes to tackling.

Special teams

C-

The bad snap on a punt deep in its own territory was crushing for Mizzou, which gifted Middle Tennessee a touchdown and the halftime lead with the gaffe. Otherwise, special teams were OK.

Coaching

F

There don’t seem to be many solutions available, and part of it might be personnel, but Mizzou hasn’t been in position to win down the stretch for a month now.

Player of the game: Middle Tennessee senior running back I’Tavius Mathers finished with a game-high 215 yards rushing in 28 carries, including a 71-yard touchdown. He added a game-high eight catches for 48 yards, with a 4-yard touchdown reception.

Reason to hope: The season’s almost half over and the offense showed signs of life again.

Reason to mope: Missouri’s bowl hopes are well and truly dead, for all intents and purposes. An already struggling defense lost three starters, including cornerback John Gibson and tackle Terry Beckner Jr.

Looking ahead: Missouri, which is the only SEC team without a conference win, returns to the conference grind against Kentucky at 11 a.m. next Saturday.

This story was originally published October 22, 2016 at 8:51 PM with the headline "Game report: Middle Tennessee 51, Missouri 45."