COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri Tigers got their first ever SEC win on Saturday afternoon, with a 33-10 shellacking of the Kentucky Wildcats at Faurot Field.
Both teams entered Saturday’s game in search of their first SEC win this season.
Kentucky (1-8, 0-6 SEC) opened up the first half with a 60-yard drive down to Mizzou’s 13-yd line. Tigers defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson forced a fumble by Wildcats running back Jonathan George at Mizzou’s 15-yd line. Richardson returned the fumble 60 yards to Kentucky’s 25-yd line.
Missouri (4-4, 1-4 SEC) took a 7-0 lead on a 5-yd rushing touchdown by senior RB Kendial Lawrence. The lead was short lived however, as Wildcats junior RB Raymond Sanders had a 50-yd return on the ensuing kickoff. That set up a 50-yd drive and a 1-yd TD run by Sanders that tied the game at 7-7.
A 44-yd field goal by freshman kicker Andrew Baggett gave Mizzou a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. Kentucky answered with a 43-yd FG by senior kicker Craig McIntosh to tie the game at 10-10, but that’s where the party ended for the Wildcats.
Lawrence capped a 52-yd drive with his second rushing TD of the day to give Mizzou a 17-10 advantage before halftime.
Mizzou scored 16 unanswered points in the second half to take a commanding 33-10 lead with 8:09 left to play in the fourth quarter.
Next Saturday, the Tigers travel to Gainesville, Fla. for a showdown with the No. 3 Florida Gators.