Tigers blow chance at first SEC victory
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- A botched Missouri extra-point snap and a bobbled punt attempt that led to a safety helped Vanderbilt beat Missouri 19-15 Saturday night, depriving the former Big 12 school of its first Southeastern Conference win.
Missouri (3-3, 0-3 Southeastern Conference) took an early 6-0 lead and kept Vanderbilt from gaining a first down until nearly nine minutes into the second quarter. Missouri couldn't muster much offense after an early injury to starting quarterback James Franklin, who sprained his left knee on a first-quarter run and didn't return.
Tiger Coach Gary Pinkel said Franklin injured his medial collateral ligament and, "will be out for a few weeks," including a home game next weekend against No. 1 Alabama.
Backup quarterback Corbin Berkstresser was just 9 of 30 for 189 yards, including an 85-yard scoring pass to Bud Sasser that cut a Commodores' fourth-quarter lead to 16-15. Missouri missed the extra point and a chance to tie on a bad snap.
Zac Stacy rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries for Vanderbilt (2-3, 1-2), which earned its first conference win. Jordan Rogers was 14 of 24 for 182 yards and one interception.
Missouri also played without freshman wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, one of five Tigers suspended for the game after a mid-week campus drug bust. Reserve running back and kick returner Marcus Murphy broke a finger in the first quarter and didn't return, and starting linebacker Will Ebner sat out with a hamstring injury.
Vanderbilt's first points of the game came when Missouri punter Trey Barrow couldn't handle a snap while standing in the back of Missouri's end zone, with the ball rolling out the back. A 5-yard Stacy run late in the second half gave the Commodores a 9-6 lead they wouldn't relinquish. His second TD gave Vanderbilt a 16-9 lead early in the fourth quarter.