University of Missouri
Troy State
Freshman Quarterback Leads Missouri Past Troy State, 44-7
9/28/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept 28, 2002
By DAVID SCOTT
Associated Press Writer
COLUMBIA, Mo (AP) - Freshman Brad Smith threw for 213 yards, ran for another 137 and scored a pair of touchdowns to lead Missouri past Troy State 44-7 Saturday.
Zack Abron rushed for 98 yards and also scored twice for Missouri, and R. J. Jones tied a school record with three interceptions. The Tigers held the Trojans to their lowest point and offensive yardage totals of the season.
Smith went 3-of-3 for 60 yards on the Tigers' first drive, which he capped with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Thomson Omboga.
He later moved Missouri ahead 21-0 with a 28-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 in the second quarter, stumbling around the line's left side and past the Trojans' defense.
Smith finished his day going 18-of-34 before Kirk Farmer replaced him midway through the fourth quarter.
In his first four starts, Smith has thrown for 875 yards and run for 394, pushing his total offense average to 317 yards a game. He has turned the ball over just once, an interception two weeks ago in Missouri's 51-28 loss at Bowling Green.
After giving up 577 yards to Bowling Green in its last game, Missouri held Troy State to a season-low 300.
Antwaun Bynum had a sack, moving his total for the year to six with eight games remaining. Justin Smith holds the school's single-season record with 11, set in 2000.
Troy State's Hansell Bearden completed 16 of 26 passes for 225 yards and threw two interceptions. He threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Jason Samples to start the third.
Bearden was replaced by Matt Ray in the fourth quarter, who threw an interception to James Kinney that was returned for a touchdown.
DeWhitt Betterson led Troy State with 79 yards rushing.
Mike Matheny added three field goals for Missouri.
The Trojans are 0-4 all-time against teams from the Big 12 after losing earlier this season to Nebraska and Iowa State.
Troy State defensive back Damien Coleman was taken off the field on a stretcher late in the second quarter, and was hospitalized with an injured neck. A team spokesman said Coleman, a sophomore from Swainsboro, Ga., had "general" movement but had no other details about his condition.
Coleman collided head-on with Missouri running back Tyrone Roberson with 1:04 remaining in the second quarter, falling flat on his back. He raised an arm and waived to the crowd as the stretcher left the field.
Missouri was leading 21-0 at the time.
