Marcus Carroll rushes for 3 TDs as Missouri Tigers rout Mississippi St.: details
Slowly but surely, the No. 23-ranked Missouri Tigers imposed their will on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a Saturday afternoon Southeastern Conference football showdown at Starkville, Miss.
MU’s Marcus Carroll rushed for three touchdowns and senior quarterback Brady Cook finished 15 of 20 for 268 yards and a touchdown pass as the Tigers beat Mississippi State 39-20 at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State fell to 2-9, including 0-7 against SEC competition.
Mizzou (8-3, 4-3 SEC) held a 14-10 lead through one quarter on Carroll’s first touchdown of the day and a sweet scoop-and-score touchdown by redshirt junior safety Daylan Carnell.
Carnell’s touchdown came after Missouri defensive lineman Kristian Williams sacked Mississippi state quarterback Michael Van Buren deep in Bulldogs territory.
The ball slipped from the freshman Van Buren’s grasp as he went down and Carnell was in the right place at the perfect moment to gather it up and carry it nearly 70 yards the other way for six points.
By halftime it was 28-13 thanks in part to Cook’s 28-yard touchdown pass and a great grab in the end zone by senior star Luther Burden III. The talented wide receiver adjusted his positioning as Cook scrambled to buy time, then ensured the TD by making a contested catch.
Missouri’s other first-half touchdown came courtesy of Carroll’s second rushing score of the day. He scored his third late in the final quarter.
Mizzou enjoyed a fine day on the ground. Along with Carroll’s three-touchdown contribution (on 14 carries for 61 yards), the Tigers got 95 yards on 25 carries from Nate Noel.
Burden, meanwhile, led Missouri’s receiving corps with seven catches for 91 yards and the TD reception. All of Cook’s passes went to either his receivers or tight ends — none to the running backs in this one.
The Tigers wrap up their regular season next Saturday, Nov. 30, with a home game against border rival Arkansas. The regular-season finale is set for a 2:30 p.m. Central Time kickoff at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia.