The Mizzou One team scored 20 straight points, but a late touchdown lifted Tigers Two to a 21-20 victory in the Black and Gold scrimmage Saturday at Faurot Field.
Tigers Two, made up of the reserves, was granted a 14-0 lead to start the game. On its first drive of the game, the backups picked up a huge third-down conversion when senior WR Gavin Otte hauled in a diving 33-yard catch. The walk-on’s highlight grab proved to be the only first down that the Mizzou One defense allowed in the first half.
On Mizzou One’s opening drive, Maty Mauk set the tone with 38-yard seam pass to Darius White. Tailback Marcus Murphy caught a pass out of the backfield and knifed his way into the red zone, but the starters were forced to settle for an Andrew Baggett 30-yard field goal to make it 14-3.
The starting defensive unit got a quick stop on the following possession as Shane Ray picked up a sack. Then Mauk cashed in again, driving down the field to set up another field goal. After a 12-yard screen pass to Bud Sasser, Mauk lofted a pass up to Jimmie Hunt, who spun out of a tackle and bullied his way to the three-yard line. Baggett’s 21-yard field goal pulled Mizzou One closer, 14-6.
Senior DL Markus Golden dictated the next possession for the starters. Golden snuffed out a run for a tackle for loss then sacked quarterback Corbin Berkstresser two plays later to force a Tigers Two punt.
On the starters’ final possession, Mizzou One found the end zone. Mauk and company worked their way down the field. Sophomore running back Morgan Steward broke multiple tackles on a 12-yard run to convert on third down. Steward ran for 38 yards on 12 carries in the first half. Mauk polished off the drive with a 3-yard quarterback keeper to slice the deficit to 14-13.
Senior punter Christian Brinser ended the first half on a high note with a booming 69-yard punt.
The second half was a defensive battle until the final two possessions. Mizzou One – now comprised of the No. 2 unit after the starters were sent to the bench for the day – took a brief 20-14 lead when redshirt freshman Trent Hosick connected with sophomore WR Eric Laurent for a 93-yard touchdown.
Tigers Two – made up of the 3rd- and 4th-stringers in the second half – answered swiftly though, as freshman QB Marvin Zanders faked a handoff and sprinted down the field for an 80-yard touchdown run in the final seconds.
With the conclusion of the Black and Gold Game, Mizzou football wraps up the spring season. The Tigers will open up their 2014 slate vs. South Dakota St. on Aug. 30.
