Auburn 51, Mizzou 14: Key moments, players and grades

Keys to the game

Missouri: Quarterback Drew Lock shouldn’t be faulted for an offensive line that was charged with three false-start penalties in the first quarter alone. Sophomore wide receiver Johnathon Johnson said Auburn’s defenders were getting into the heads of the offensive linemen. Lock finished 23 of 39 with 216 yards passing and threw one interception.

Auburn: Running back Kerryon Johnson, who tallied four rushing touchdowns and 43 yards rushing in the first half. He added another score, but only made three more carries in the game and finished with 48 yards on the ground.

Lock’s interception came in the first quarter, on a pass that sailed through the flailing arms of Jason Reese, bounced off a few players and landed in the hands of Auburn’s Carlton Davis. Auburn took over on MU’s 32 and needed seven plays to take a 14-0 lead with 8:07 remaining.

The grades

F

Missouri did not cross deep into Auburn territory until late in the second quarter, well after a fumble at midfield swung the momentum back to Auburn. In that scoring drive, Larry Rountree rushed for 32 yards and three first-downs. MU finished with 340 in 70 plays — but did too little.

F

Auburn outgained Missouri 135-34 in the first quarter, and by the end of the game had rushed for 263 yards and five touchdowns. MU couldn’t stifle Auburn QB Jarrett Stidham either. He was 13 of 17 for 218 yards passing.

D

You have to applaud Corey Fatony for averaging 38.5 yards on six punts (231 total yards, including one that traveled 55 yards). But a failed fake punt in the third quarter allowed Auburn to run away even further with its lead.

F

Barry Odom insisted after the game this program will win with him at the helm. But his performance Saturday was uninspiring. At least the one time his team found itself in the red zone all night, it scored. (MU’s other touchdown came on a long pass to J’Mon Moore.)

This story was originally published September 24, 2017 at 12:33 AM with the headline "Auburn 51, Mizzou 14: Key moments, players and grades."