Mizzou's Kevin Rutland intercepts Iowa State pass (UPI/Bill Greenblatt)

Mizzou's Kevin Rutland intercepts Iowa State pass (UPI/Bill Greenblatt)

The Missouri Tigers improved their record on the season to 7-4 (3-4 in Big 12) with a 34-24 win over the Iowa State Cyclones before 55,573 fans Saturday afternoon at Faurot Field in Columbia.

The game’s first points came as a result of Missouri taking advantage of a Kevin Rutland interception of an Austin Arnaud pass on the Cyclones’ first series, giving the Tigers the ball at their own 45 yard line. Six plays later Derrick Washington hit pay dirt with a 4 yard TD run to cap a 6 play, 55 yard scoring drive. Grant Ressel’s extra point made it Missouri 7, Iowa State 0.

Iowa State tied it up on their next set of downs on a 9 play, 73 yard scoring drive. It ended when running back Alexander Robinson fired a 10 yard touchdown pass to Jake Williams for the major. Grant Mahoney’s extra point tied the score at 7.

MU went up 10-7 with just over a minute to play in the 1st quarter as Grant Ressel booted a 20 yard field goal. On the scoring drive Danario Alexander became Missouri’s single-season leader in yards receiving as he moved ahead of Jeremy Maclin, who had held the record with 1,260 yards.

Iowa State’s next series saw Mizzou take over on its own 36 as the Tigers stopped the Cyclones on a fourth down attempt. But MU failed to score.

The Cyclones tied the game with 3:22 to go in the first half as Mahoney connected on a 34 yard field goal attempt. Iowa State 10, Missouri 10.

Iowa State defenders try to take down Missouri's Danario Alexander following pass reception (UPI/Bill Greenblatt)

Iowa State defenders try to take down Missouri's Danario Alexander following pass reception (UPI/Bill Greenblatt)

A Mizzou drive just before the end of the half came to an end as Jerrell Jackson fumbled on the Iowa State 34 with Fred Garrin recovering for the Cyclones. Iowa State made the turnover count as Arnaud launched a 38 yard touchdown spiral to Darius Dark to end a 4 play, 66 yard drive that consumed only 33 seconds. Mahoney’s PAT eas good and the teams went to the locker rooms at the half with Iowa State leading 17-10.

The Tigers didn’t take long to tie the score in the 2nd half. After stopping the Cyclones on their opening drive of the 3rd quarter, Blaine Gabbert fired a 70 yard TD pass to Jerrell Jackson to end a 3 play, 81 yard drive that ate up just 62 seconds. Ressel’s conversion made it Missouri 17, Iowa State 17.

Missouri moved ahead on its next set of down, and again didn’t take a lot of time to score. Gabbert hit Alexander with a 63 yard touchdown pass eating up just 1:07 while covering 90 yards in 4 plays. Ressel’s extra point made it Missouri 24, Iowa State 17.

Not to be outdone, the Cyclones struck back, scoring the points needed to even the score as Scott Haughton ran the ball 12 yards for the score to cap a 9 play, 68 yard drove. Mahoney’s extra point tied the score at 24. The 3rd quarter ended with the score tied and Mizzou with the ball on the ISU 39.

Missouri took the lead with 11:56 to go in the 4th quarter as Ressel sliced the uprights with a 38 yard field goal. Missouri 27, Iowa State 24.

The Tigers iced it with under 5 minutes to play in the 4th as De’Vion Moore ran it in from a yard out to cap an 11 play, 59 yard scoring drive. Ressel’s PAT made it Missouri 34, Iowa State 24.

Derrick Washington, who scored Missouri’s first points of the afternoon, left the game with a concussion in the 1st half and did not return. He ended his day with 62 net rushing yards on 11 carries. Washington will undergo tests but, following the game, he told reporters he felt fine. He said, however, that he cannot remember the1st half of the game.

Next up for the Tigers: The Kansas Jayhawks in the final game of the regular season at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Download/Listen: Missouri Head Coach Gary Pinkel’s post game comments (11:00 MP3)