St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 71

www.STLtoday.com F7 COLLEGE FOOTBALL ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH SPORTS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2003 Smith has big game for Tigers BIG 12 ROUNDUP Colorado wins in OT; OSU beats K-State THE ASSOCIATED PRESS in if Vt Mtt -m iamtf ii -'uni-S ii mrnuttt i if i mumrtf 1 iiWl mmt i -r1 J- jaailal Missouri's Nino Williams (22) celebrates after recovering a fumbled kickoff in the first quarter, one of five i) p.m, ppiww wyw.i.ww mmrrnmmvfrmrm Nebraska receiver Mark LeFlore races into the end zone ahead of a the Cornhuskers' first touchdown Saturday. CHRIS LEE POST-DISPATCH Nebraska turnovers. CHRIS LEE POST-DISPATCH group of Missouri defenders for MISSOURI 41, NEBRASKA 24 7 3 14 0-24 7 7 0 27-41 FM Quart Neb UFIore 55 pass from Lord (Dyches kick), 8:55. Mo Abron 6 run, (Matheny kick), 6:25.

Swotd Quarter Mo Smith 47 pass from Outlaw (Matheny kick), 10:57. Neb FG Dyches 30, :02. Thin) Quarter Neb Home 5 run (Dyches kick), 8:32. Neb Lord 35 run (Dyches kick), :58. Fourtk Quarter Mo Smith 39 run (Matheny kick), 14:53.

Mo Sesay 15 pass from Riccio (Matheny kick), 11:21. Mo Smith 1 run (kick failed), 5:53. Mo Smith 9 run (Matheny kick), 5:11. A 68,349 TEAM STATISTICS Neb Mo First downs 23 20 Rushes-yards 54 253 44-211 Passing yards 146 241 Return Yards 36 79 Comp-Att-Int 12-19-1 15-29-2 Sacked-Yards Lost 1-5 2-24 Punts-Avg 6-39 6-32 Fumbles-Lost 4'-4 0-0 Penalties-Yards 9-42 3-23 Time of Possession 40:38 19:22 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing: Nebraska, Horne 26-119, Lord 19-111, Kriewald 2-19, Davis 7-4. Missouri, Smith 18 123, Abron 20-84, Nash 3 4, Outlaw 1-2, team Mminus 2).

Panhuj: Nebraska, Lord 12-18-1-145, team 0- 1-0-0. Missouri, Smith 13-27-2-180, Ricco 1- 1-0-14, Outlaw 1-1-0-47. RtcaMug: Nebraska, LeFlore 6-76, Pilkington 2- 35, Herian 2-31, Kriewald 1-6, Davis Mminus 2). Missouri, Coffey 3-59, Sesay 3-40, Omboga 3-30, McCoy 2-36, Outlaw 2-29, Smith 147, Matthews 1-0. 1 by Glenn Kasses Of the Post-Dispatch' COLUMBIA Many have wondered during Missouri's first five games of 2003 what hap- pened to the Brad Smith of 2002.

Gone was the scrambling, aggres- sive quarterback that catapulted the Tigers to a winning record and a promising future, and in his stead had been a more tentative, conservative version of the star signal-caller. After a 41-24 win against No. 10 Nebraska, it's safe to say: Smith is back. The sophomore was far from perfect, throwing his first two interceptions of the year and failing to connect on a number of his passes. But the playmaker did just that, running, receiving and throwing as he led the Tigers to victory.

"It felt real good," Smith said. "I threw a couple (interceptions) got them out of the way but it felt good. We were wide open, that's the type of offense we Smith scored four touchdowns, -three on the ground and one more on a second-quarter cross-field pass from receiver Darius Outlaw. Smith finished with 350 yards with 180 passing, 123 rush- ing and 47 receiving yards on the touchdown receptioa 3 "I talked to Brad about a week and a half ago and told him, 'Dont be afraid to make bad Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel said. "I just said that, with your athleticism, you know, if you feel like you're out there on eggshells, and that you've got to -watch yourself with everything you do, then you can use your athletic In the 27-point fourth quarter, Smith came up with big plays, especially on a drive that resulted in the clinching touchdown with six minutes to play.

First, he fired a bullet to Sean Coffey on a third-and-5 slant to move the Tigers into the red zone. Three plays later, he converted another third down by slithering through a seam in the Nebraska defense, diving to the 2-yard line. Finally, he streaked for the corner of the end zone on a bootleg stiff-arming Nebras- ka defender Jerrell Pippens along the way and putting the Tigers ahead by two scores. As hard as it is to believe given Smith's outstanding day, Mizzou again had him locked up in the backfield, failing to record a single carry in the first quarter. But Smith came on in tie second, rushing nine times for 39 yards.

Thereafter, the quarterback played more freely, finding open space in the Cornhusker defense. The Tigers dedicated much of their game plan to getting Smith in the open field by rolling him out and giving him the option of throwing downfield or running it himself. That move, combined with Smith's runs up the middle on effective counter plays, helped Mizzou get its first win against Nebraska in a quarter-century. It was, as Smith said, exactly what the Tigers were capable of if they played as Pinkel had exhorted. "(Coach) has been telling us all week, two weeks, after last game: 'Dont worry about your grade, about what everybody else says.

Just do what you Smith said. Much to the delight of Pinkel and a packed Faurot Field, Smith sparked Mizzou to its biggest win in years. "Obviously Brad did 1 some great tilings," Pinkel said, i "We just were going to be aggres- sive in everything we did." Reporter Ciena Kasses E-mail: 314-340-8205 Nebraska's Josh Davis became the Big 12's career leader in kick returns when he ran back the opening kickoff 26 yards. He now has 1,887 in kick-return yards. The previous record holder was Colorado's Ben Kelly.

MU defensive end Xzavie Jackson became the first freshman to start a game this season when he replaced Brian Smith. Brad Smith entered the game without an interception, but threw two in the first quarter. The victory was coach Gary Pinkel's first against a ranked opponent at MU. i i Mizzou Tigers score 27 in 4th to end skid to 'Huskers Continued from Fl 350 yards of total offense 180 passing, 123 rushing and 47 receiving. Yes, receiving.

"From the coaches to the play ers, our whole goal was just to play loose and try to make plays," Smith said. "We were just wide- open, and it telt really good, it was fun." Mizzou rolled up 452 yards against the nation's top-ranked defense. The 'Huskers had permitted an average of 218.6 per game and had surrendered only 38 points all season. "We weren't surprised that they were moving the ball," 'Huskers free safety Josh Bul locks said. "We made mistakes and didnt play the fourth quarter like we should have." Nebraska was thwarted by five turnovers four lost fumbles and an interception.

Mizzou didnt capitalize on all the opportunities die butterfingered Corn-huskers presented, but they did enough damage to stay within striking distance before erupting in the last period. Nebraska grabbed the early edge, taking advantage of Smith's first interception of the season and first after 140 passes. Three plays later, wide receiver Mark LaFlore sprinted 55 yards to the end zone after taking a short toss from quarterback Jamaal Lord to make it 7-0 only 6 minutes 5 second after kickoff. Nebraska soon returned the favor. With heavy rain falling, Josh Davis fumbled a punt and Missouri's James Kinney recovered at the 'Huskers' 6-yard line.

Tailback Zack Abron plowed through the right side for the score, and it was 7-7. The Tigers moved in front for the first time by deftly executing a bit of trickery. On first down from the MU 47, Smith fired a pass toward wideout Darius Outlaw on the right side. Outlaw caught the throw technically, a lateral a yard or 2 behind the line of scrimmage. Then the former QB whirled and zipped the ball about 35 yards back across to the field, where Smith and several blockers were waiting.

MISSOURI NOTEBOOK Brian Calhoun ran 12 yards for a touchdown in overtime, lifting Colorado to a 5047 come-from-behind win over visiting Kansas on Saturday. Calhoun's run up the middle came after Kansas' Johnny Beck kicked a 35-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime. Colorado (3-3, 1-1 Big 12), rebounding from a 42-30 loss to Baylor a week earlier, snapped a three-game losing streak. Kansas (4-2, 1-1) had won four in a row. The Buffaloes rallied from deficits of 7-0, 35-24, 38-30 and 44-38 wide-open game that featured a combined 1,184 yards of offense 598 by Colorado.

Bill Whittemore passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more for Kansas. Colorado's Joel Klatt, making his first start since separating his shoulder against Washington State on Sept 13, passed for two TDs and ran for one. Colorado freshman Daniel Jolly ran for two third-quarter touchdowns to help the Buffs draw into a 38-38 tie. Jolly's scoring runs of 2 pM 1 yards capped drives of 80 and 75 yards. Whittemore put the Jayhawks ahead again 44-38 on a 5-yard TD pass to Mark Simmons with 8:55 remaining in regulation, but Beck's extra-point attempt was blocked by Vance Washington.

Colorado then fashioned two scoring drives resulting in field goals, producing a 44-44 tie. Mason Cisby hit a 41-yarder and 23ryarder, the last with 14 second? remaining. Oklahoma St 38, No. 22 Kansas St 34: Tatum Bell ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns and Darrent Williams returned one of, hi? two interceptions for a score as the Cowboys pulled an upset at home. The loss was the third straight for the Wildcats (4:3, 0-2 Big 12), who were ranked No.

6 last month. ''Ifs a relatively quiet locker room at this point in time, K-State coach Bill Snyder said. "I'd like to think it's a locker room that recognizes that we're still making the effort to go 15 rounds." After a deflating season-opening loss at Nebraska that cost the Cowboys their Top 25 ranking, Oklahoma State (5-1, 1-D has won five straight and managed to make amends for last season's embarrassing 44-9 loss at Kansas State. Bell repeatedly found holes ina Kansas State defense that had held 11 of its last 14 opponents under 100 yards rushing. But the game turned late in the third quarter on a fake field goal call by OSU coach Les Miles.

The game was tied 21-21 and the Cowboys faced fourth-and-7 from Kansas State's 31 kicker Luke Phillips scampered 11 yards around the right end for a first down. Three plays later, Josh Fields hit'Gabe Lindsay across the middle for the go-ahead touchdown. -We felt like we needed sev-en Miles said. "You feel the momentum 0f the game and you understand that it needs to be a seven-pointer rather than three. It was a wonderful play and it was" successful." ElTRoberson's pass was intercepted by Williams on the next series.

Three plays later, Bell scored on a 12-yard run to give; the Cowboys a 35-21 lead. Texas 73, Baylor 10: Reggie McNeal threw three touchdown, passes, including a 91 harder to Jamaar Taylor, and ran for two more scores as the Aggies (3-3, 1-1) romped at home. Baylor (3-3, 1-1), which upseT" Colorado 42-30 a week earlier, was overwhelmed this time as had a 28-point second quarter en route to a 3830 halftone lead. Texas Tech 52, Iowa State 21: B.J. Symons was 45-of-65 passing for 487 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for two scores; as the Red Raiders pulled away after being tied 21-21 early in the second half to win at home.

Symons' performance broke an! NCAA record for total offense. in a four-game span set by- Houston's David Klingler (2,276 yards) in 1990. Symons finished with 529 total yards Saturday to set the record at 2,328. Tech (5-1, 2-0 Big 12) increased its winning streak to three games. Iowa State (2-4, 0- has lost four in a row.

-y 9-yard line, the Tigers lost 5 yards on three plays and lined up for a field goal. It was a fake, though. Holder Sonny Riccio MU's backup QB sprinted out to the right and lofted a perfectly placed strike to tight end Victor Sesay in the right corner of the end zone. With 11:21 to play, Mizzou led 28-24, and the big gathering was in a frenzy. After stopping Nebraska on three plays, Mizzou had the ball again in Huskers territory, at the 36-yard line.

Eight plays later, the Tigers were in the end zone again, Smith hustling around right end from the 1. Missouri had opened a 34-24 bulge with 5:53 left And then the Cornhuskers imploded. Defensive end Zach Ville jumped in front a Lord pass two plays later and lugged it 36 yards, giving MU a first-and-goal at the 7. Smith scored again after a 2-yard loss on first down, charging up the middle on a quarterback draw for his fourth TD. Missouri led 41-24, and the celebration that had been on hold for 25 years finally began.

"I know there are a lot of fans out there that this meant an awful lot to," Pinkel said, "and I'm happy that we could get it done." Reporter Bill Coats E-mail: Phone: 314-340-8189 key spark asked a lot about him after this game. There's only thing I can say: He's good." Tigers fan roar With the first sellout since 1999 and the first night game this season, the crowd at Faurot Field seemed to get noisier as the game progressed. MU players motioned for the crowd to get louder on key plays. Still, the noise didnt faze Nebraska. "We've played in a lot of noisy stadiums, and this wasnt exceptional," Solich said.

"We just didnt do a very good job of keeping our composure and doing the little things that add up to making a difference." Smith and his convoy sprinted down the left sideline to the end zone. The gadget play made it 14-7 with 10:57 left in the first half. A 30-yard field with 2 seconds to go cut Missouri's edge 14-10 at halftime. After a disturbingly inconsistent first five games, followed by an open week, it was beginning to look as if the Tigers finally had found their stride. "Certainly, I think we called plays a little bit mire aggressively," Pinkel said.

"But also, they look a lot better whei. you execute them. And we had some players make some plays." First, however, Nebraska reasserted itself. Using their rugged ground game, the Cornhuskers ground out two touchdowns in the third quarter and toted a 24-14 advantage into the fourth quarter. But instead of wilting, Mizzou untapped a reservoir of resolve.

"Everyone fought everyone," center A.J. Ricker said. "We left everything out on the field." Smith zipped 39 yards around left end for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter that slashed Nebraska's advantage to 24-21. Then the Tigers pushed back on top with more skullduggery. After a Nebraska fumble gave Missouri the ball at the 'Huskers' Tigers' offense became too much for Nebraska quarterback Jamal Lord to match.

The fake field goal "helped swing the momentum around in the fourth quarter," Nebraska coach Frank Solich said. "But there was more than that play that did it We broke down in a lot of different areas. "I thought Jamal was playing extremely well, but the fourth quarter was disastrous for all of us." It was disastrous because Nebraska could not shut down MU quarterback Brad Smith, who ran for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. "What more can I say?" Nebraska defensive coordinator Bo Pelini said. "I have been Fake field goal provided for Mizzou offense But the atmosphere was for Missouri fans.

After the Tiger tales By Scott Fontaine Special to the Post-Dispatch COLUMBIA, Mo. Entering Saturday's game with Missouri, the lOth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers' defense had allowed seven second-half points through five games. Against the Tigers, the 'Huskers surrendered 27 points after halftime and 212 yards of total offense, and ultimately the game. Once the Tigers began to score in the second half, momentum swung their way and they began to dominate. After Missouri scored on a fake field goal with 11 minutes 21 seconds remaining in the game, the game, tans rushed onto the held, tore down the goal posts and carried them out of the stadium.

Police handcuffed about 30 fans and had them waiting behind the south end zone while Nebraska players and coaches filed out of the locker room. It was the first time this season that the posts were torn dowa Last season, they came down after the Tigers beat Kansas. After Saturday's game, police would not comment about what type of charges that arrested fans would face..