Sept. 4, 2004

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Brad Smith threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 63 yards and another score to help No. 18 Missouri rout Arkansas State 52-20 on Saturday night in the season-opener for both teams.

Smith, a junior who ran for 1,406 yards and passed for 1,977 last season, averaged 10.5 yards on six carries and scored on a 34-yard second-quarter run. He completed 14 of 22 passes, with the three touchdowns and one interception.

Damien Nash ran 15 times for a career-high 126 yards and scored twice, and Sean Coffey caught five passes for 113 yards and a touchdown, a 60-yard wide-open pass early in the second quarter.

Smith also connected with tight end Martin Rucker for a 24-yard scoring play in the first quarter and tight end Victor Sesay for a 35-yard score in the third quarter.

Missouri, ranked in the preseason for the first time since a No. 17 ranking in 1980, faced an Arkansas State team starting five freshmen on defense. The Tigers didn't punt until less than eight minutes remained in the game.

Missouri went ahead 21-0 less than 10 minutes into the game. After Rucker's score, Nash changed directions three times and scored on a 21-yard run midway through the quarter.

Five plays later, Arkansas State quarterback Nick Noce's screen pass was intercepted by 285-pound nose tackle Phil Pitts, who plodded 49 yards down the sideline - even shaking off a tackle - to make it 21-0 with 5:29 to play in the first quarter.

Despite the easy win, Missouri's defense had several lapses, surrendering 438 yards. The Tigers converted from a 4-2-5 alignment last season to a 4-3 to shore up the run defense, and the Indians gained just 88 yards rushing.

But Arkansas State had success passing, led by Noce, a junior who last season was 8-of-31 with seven interceptions and no touchdowns. He became a starter just a month ago when Elliot Jacobs quit to focus on baseball.

Noce was 19-for-26 for 240 yards, two touchdowns and one interception before leaving with a cramp in his right calf early in the third quarter. His replacement, Devin Hollins, was 7-for-11 for 110 yards.

St. Louis-area native Chuck Walker caught six passes for 126 yards for the Indians.

Noce threw a 6-yard scoring pass to Oren O'Neal with 58 seconds to play in the first quarter. Noce and Jason Wood combined on an 18-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds to play in the first half.

Arkansas State's Eric Neihouse made field goals of 30 and 21 yards, and missed a 42-yarder. Missouri's Joe Tantarelli made a 17-yarder with 19 seconds left in the game.

Missouri, which led the nation in fewest turnovers with 13 last season and 12 in 2002, gave up the ball twice on Smith's first-quarter interception and a second-quarter fumble by Marcus Woods.