1980 Liberty Bowl
12/27/2013 12:00:00 AM | Football
Liberty Bowl -- Memphis, Tenn.
An 8-3 Tigers squad earned its second Liberty Bowl berth in three years under Coach Warren Powers following a 31-6 shellacking of Kansas, also the third straight year Mizzou had downed the Jayhawks.
The Tigers started the 1980 season quickly at 6-1, but in the Liberty Bowl it was a slow start which doomed the Tigers and allowed Purdue to walk away with a 28-25 victory. All-America quarterback Mark Hermann started anything but slowly in leading Purdue to a 21-12 halftime lead with three touchdown passes of eight, 43 and five yards.
By the time Missouri had its second first down, the Tigers trailed 14-0. Powers then called a reverse on the ensuing kickoff and Ron Fellows turned it into a 92-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good and the Tigers trailed 14-6. James Wilder scored from a yard out, but when the two-point conversion missed, Mizzou lost its only chance to draw even in the game and trailed 14-12.
After halftime, Hermann threw his last touchdown, his second to Bart Burrell and the Boilermakers were up 28-12. With just under 13 minutes left, Mizzou had a chance to cut the deficit to six with first and goal at the six. Wilder though was stopped on fourth down at the one and the Tigers got no points.
The Tigers managed a 10-point flurry which included a safety and were within 28-25 with 5:05 to play. But the next time Phil Bradley and the offense touched the ball, it was on their own six with 1:16 to play and they could do nothing about it.
The Boilermakers sent the Tigers home at 8-4, thus ruining Mizzou's chance at its first nine-win season in 11 years.
| MISSOURI | 0 | 12 | 3 | 10 | -- | 25 |
| PURDUE | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | -- | 28 |
| P -- Burrell 8 pass from Hermann (Anderson kick) |
| P -- Bryant 43 pass from Hermann (Anderson kick) |
| M -- Fellows 92 kickoff return (kick failed) |
| M -- Wilder 1 run (pass failed) |
| P -- Young 5 pass from Hermann (Anderson kick) |
| P -- Burrell 27 pass from Hermann (Anderson kick) |
| M -- FG Verrilli 45 |
| M -- Safety, Hermann downed ball in end zone |
| M -- Hill 1 run (Hornof pass from Bradley) |
| Att. -- 35,667 |
| MU | UP | |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 17 | 18 |
| Rushes-Yards | 36-103 | 41-124 |
| Passing Yards | 210 | 289 |
| Return Yards | 1 | 28 |
| Passes | 16-29-1 | 22-28-0 |
| Punts-Avg. | 6-43.8 | 6-34 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 2-1 | 1-1 |
| Penalties-Yards | 1-5 | 5-31 |
| RUSHING -- MU: Hill 9-54, Wilder 16-49, Mack 1-2, Shorthose 1-1, Bradley 9-(-3). P: McCall 17-85, Macon 16-69, Smith 2-3, Hermann 6-(-33). |
| PASSING -- MU: Bradley 16-29-1-210. P: Hermann 22-28-0-289. |
| RECEIVING -- MU: Blair 3-62, Hill 3-48, Fellows 3-35, Gibler 5-63, Wilder 2-2. P: Burrell 8-113, McCall 6-38, Bryant 4-86, Young 3-42, Smith 1-10. |
