No. 20 Missouri needed special teams, two late first-half takeaways and a stubborn second-half defense to escape Faurot Field with a 27-17 victory over Troy on Saturday night.
The Tigers improved to 3-0 and finished the nonconference portion of their schedule, but the win was anything but comfortable. Missouri trailed 10-0 after the first quarter, committed a handful of penalties, and finished with modest offensive production before hanging on in the second half of Memorial Stadium’s 100th anniversary game.
Troy (2-1) struck immediately. On the second play from scrimmage, Goose Crowder hit TK Keyes on a 76-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown. The Trojans then chewed more than 10 minutes off the clock on a 19-play, 81-yard march that ended with Ethan Head’s 27-yard field goal, putting Missouri in a 10-0 hole.
The Tigers finally answered early in the second quarter with Blake Craig’s 35-yard field goal. Momentum shifted two minutes later when DaMarion Fowlkes returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 10-10.
Missouri’s defense then took over in a 20-second stretch that flipped the game. Sione Laulea intercepted Crowder and returned the ball to the Troy 18. Austin Simmons found Donovan Olugbode for a 12-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers their first lead at 17-10.
On the next series, Langden Kitchen strip-sacked Crowder. Jason Dowell recovered at the Troy 13, and Jamal Roberts punched it in from there to make it 24-10 with 1:44 left in the half.
Troy refused to fold. Crowder connected with Howard Kinchen on a 55-yard touchdown with six seconds remaining before intermission, cutting the deficit to 24-17.
Neither offense found the end zone after that. Missouri leaned on Roberts, who finished with 122 yards and the one score, and added a Craig field goal in the fourth quarter for the final 27-17 margin. Crowder finished with 230 passing yards and two touchdowns but also the costly interception. Simmons completed 10 of 19 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown in a quiet night through the air.
Missouri now turns to SEC play with a trip to undefeated Mississippi State next Saturday. The Tigers will need a cleaner start and more consistent offense than they showed against a determined Group of Five opponent.
