Columbia, MO (Sports Network) – Blaine Gabbert threw for 308 yards and a touchdown on 30-of-42 passing, and 18th-ranked Missouri remained as the only unbeaten team left in the Big 12 after scoring 16 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to upend third-ranked Oklahoma, 36-27.
Jarrell Jackson was Gabbert’s primary target, catching nine passes for 139 yards and scoring the go-ahead touchdown for Missouri (7-0, 3-0 Big 12), which beat Oklahoma for the first time after seven straight losses to the Sooners. In fact, Oklahoma had won 19 of the last 20 in the series.
The Tigers may have used some homecoming magic to pull off the enormous victory. The last time Missouri faced Oklahoma during homecoming week was 1998, which was also the last time the Tigers won in the series.
Missouri, which scored on its first three possessions of the fourth quarter to move ahead for good, celebrated in a wild party on the field after topping the top-ranked team in the BCS standings.
With Oklahoma’s loss, Oregon is likely to take over the top spot in the BCS, and the Ducks also came into the week ranked No. 1 in each human poll. Boise State or Auburn are the favorites to slide into the coveted No. 2 position.
Landry Jones completed 32-of-50 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions for the Sooners (6-1, 2-1), who were looking for their first 7-0 start since 2004. Ryan Broyles caught eight passes for 110 yards in defeat.
Missouri trailed by one to begin the fourth, but gained possession in the early moments following a punt.
A 15-yard run by Henry Josey put the Tigers in Oklahoma territory, and a Gabbert seven-yard run put them on the 38. The next play saw Gabbert hit Jackson near the 20, and the receiver spun away from two defenders en route to the end zone for a 26-21 lead after the two-point conversion failed.
Jones’ next pass was intercepted, leading to Grant Ressel’s 23-yard field goal for an eight-point Missouri lead with just under 10 minutes to play.
Oklahoma couldn’t gain a first down on its next touch and punted the ball away with nine minutes left. On the second play of the ensuing Missouri series, De’Vion Moore carried several defenders on his back during a 39-yard run up the middle to gain the Sooners’ 37.
Gabbert found T.J. Moe for 19 yards on the next play, and Josey’s 15-yard run set up James Franklin’s three-yard touchdown run for a 15-point advantage with just over six minutes to go.
The Sooners didn’t give up, however, as a Mossis Madu 77-yard kickoff return led to Trey Millard’s two-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to nine after the two-point conversion failed.
Oklahoma’s onside kick attempt was recovered by Missouri, and the Tigers ran the clock down inside three minutes before punting. The Sooners’ offense failed once again, though, and they punted the ball away for a final time, as Mizzou ran off all but two seconds of the clock on its ensuing series.
Missouri got started without ever putting its offense onto the field, as Gahn McGaffie returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown.
Oklahoma, though, tied the game after a turnover. The Sooners went three-and- out on their first touch, but Carl Gettis fumbled the punt away, giving Oklahoma the ball on Missouri’s 45. Four players later, Jones’ 27-yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills made it 7-7.
The Tigers went back in front after Aldon Smith halted a Sooners drive with an interception at Mizzou’s 14, returning it 58 yards to the Oklahoma 28. Moore capped the ensuing six-play drive with a one-yard scoring run for a 14-7 game in the opening moments of the second quarter.
After Madu fumbled the ball away on Missouri’s 14, the Sooners regained possession and tied the game again. Aided by a 31-yard completion to Broyles on 3rd-and-16 from their own 17, the Sooners ended a 14-play, 89-yard series with Jones’ four-yard touchdown pass to Murray with 4:08 left.
Missouri, however, was able to surge in front, 17-14, on the last play of the first half on Ressel’s 36-yard field goal. He hit another field goal from 30 yards away midway through the third quarter for a six-point lead, but Oklahoma answered with James Hanna’s three-yard touchdown reception, and Jimmy Stevens’ extra point provided the Sooners with a slim 21-20 lead heading to the fourth.
Game Notes
Missouri’s last 7-0 start was 1960…The Tigers improved to 9-6 all-time against the Sooners on homecoming, though are still just 24-66-5 against them overall…Missouri came into the game 11th in the BCS poll…Moore led the Tigers rushing with 73 yards on 10 carries, while Josey finished with 64 yards on 14 carries…Broyles crossed the 100-yard receiving mark for the ninth time in 10 games.