Defense a no-show as Tigers maul Vandy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Missouri didn't punt until the fourth quarter, as the Tigers came to Nashville and spoiled Vandy's homecoming with a 51-28 defeat of the Commodores at Dudley Field on Saturday night.
Quarterback James Franklin led a balanced attack by throwing for four touchdowns. Missouri led 30-7 at the break and was never really threatened.
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The only real highlight for the Commodores was a solid night by Jordan Matthews, who had save catches for 123 yards and broke Boo Mitchell's long-standing school career record for receiving yards and Dan Stricker's career touchdown catch mark.
The Tigers got out of the gate quickly with a five-play, 75-yard scoring drive when Franklin found L'Damian Washington on the right sideline for a 26-yard scoring strike, and took a 7-0 lead with 13:43 left in the first quarter.
Another Franklin touchdown pass, this one to tight end Eric Waters, was sandwiched by two Andrew Baggett field goals, and Missouri led 20-0 before the first quarter was done.
With 11:04 left in the half, Wes Tate scored on a 2-yard run to cut the margin to 13. But not even three minutes later, Henry Josey scored on a 5-yard scoring run to negate that, and Baggett's 41-yard field goal ended the first-half scoring.
On Vandy's first drive of the second half, Carta-Samuels found Matthews on a short pass, and the senior weaved his way 26 yards for a record-breaking 22nd career score. But Josey rushed over from a yard out on the ensuing Missouri drive to negate that.
Carta-Samuels scored on a 1-yard run with 3:19 left in the fourth, and the Commodores trailed by 16 again. Again, Franklin countered with a TD pass to Maurice Lucas and the margin went back to 23.
A 30-yard scoring pass to Jonathan Krause pulled VU to within 44-28 with 9:22 to play. An onside kick failed, and Franklin found Washington on a 42-yard TD strike the next play.