Oct. 25, 2014

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Maty Mauk threw two touchdowns to Bud Sasser – the last with just over two minutes left to play – and the Tigers ground out a season-high 244 yards on the ground in a 24-14 win Homecoming win over Vanderbilt on Saturday at Faurot Field.

With the win, the Tigers (6-2, 3-1 SEC) break a two-game home losing streak, and become bowl-eligible for the 10th time in Head Coach Gary Pinkel's 14 seasons in Columbia.

Marcus Murphy ran for 93 yards on 16 carries, and Russell Hansbrough nabbed 87 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries; per Mizzou historian Tom Orf, it's the first time in 15 years that the Tigers have had two running backs each with at least 85 rushing yards against an FBS opponent.

Mizzou drew first blood on the game's first drive when Andrew Baggett hit a 37-yard field goal, then made it 10-0 in the second quarter on a 10-yard run by Hansbrough. Together, those two drives chewed up 9:17 off the clock.

Twice Vanderbilt pulled within three points, and twice Sasser and Mauk answered with touchdown passes. The first came with 2:27 left in the third quarter, when Mauk found Sasser wide open in the middle of a zone. He spun, took a couple steps and dove for the goal line to make it 17-7. Then after C.J. Duncan scored on a 29-yard pass from Johnny McCrary with 6:53 left in the game, Mauk and the Tigers hit the ground. Following a four-yard sideline screen to freshman Nate Brown, the Tigers ran the ball on seven of the next eight plays – the exception a deflected pass that Mauk caught for a one-yard gain – before Mauk heaved a fade toward the back of the left corner of the end zone. Sasser settled under it, and got a foot down for the score.

The Tigers complete their two-game homestand with a 3 p.m. CT kick next Saturday, Nov. 1, when the Tigers welcome Kentucky. Tickets remain at mutigers.com, and Mizzou welcomes SEC Nation to the Quad for their 9 a.m. show.