Tigers go undefeated at Faurot Field in 2007
by
Emily Schmidt, posted Nov. 14, 2007
The
final game of the 2007 season at Faurot Field resulted in
yet another Tiger victory. The MU Tigers, now ranked No. 5
in the BCS standings, beat Texas A&M 40-26 on Saturday
to extend the team’s record to 9-1 overall and keep
national title hopes alive.
Saturday’s
game was senior day for several of the MU players, but when
the game got close, it was a freshman who got the team out
of trouble. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin caught two touchdown
passes, including one with three minutes left, to prevent
a major upset.
Running
back Tony Temple scored the first MU touchdown early in the
first quarter off a 44-yard run. Temple, who was playing with
a heavy heart following the death of his grandmother, finished
the game with 141 yards rushing to lead Missouri’s potent
offensive attack.
“I
was so proud of Tony [Temple],” said Chase Daniel, MU’s
quarterback. “He's had a tough couple of weeks ... but
for him to come out here and to be warrior that he is ...
it was unbelievable.”
The quarter
ended with a 7-2 MU lead after a Texas A&M safety.
Early
in the second, MU’s tight end Chase Coffman scored the
second touchdown, bringing the score to 14-2, off a pass from
Daniel. Daniel finished the game with 352 yards passing and
three touchdowns. In a season of up and down performances
from the nation’s elite players, Daniel has been outstanding
and consistent. The junior quarterback has passed for 3,306
yards and 26 touchdowns, making him a leading Heisman candidate.
Soon after
Coffman’s touchdown, A&M’s starting quarterback,
Stephen McGee, threw his first of two touchdown passes to
bring the Aggies within five points. MU responded with a field
goal by Jeff Wolfert and an 82-yard pass to Maclin to increase
the Tiger’s lead to 24-9 at halftime.
“They
were doing a good job of getting our offense off of the field
and keeping their offense on the field,” Coffman said.
“We just came back and did a good job of moving the
ball.”
MU didn’t
score in the third, which sparked a Texas A&M rally. A&M’s
running back Jorvorskie Lane capped an 80-yard scoring drive
with a 2-yard run early in the third bringing the score to
24-16. A field goal put the game in doubt heading into the
final quarter.
“I
don't think you ever want games like this, but it was good
to have it,” Daniel said. “I would rather be blowing
people out by 60 [points]. But for our team to come back and
answer the call in the fourth quarter [was big].”
Missouri
had not been in many close games this season. Following the
loss to Oklahoma, the Tigers won the next three games by an
average of 30 points. However, MU stepped back up in the fourth
after running back Jimmy Jackson’s 6-yard touchdown
run. A&M responded with a touchdown of its own just two
minutes later, this time a 42-yard pass from McGee to tight
end Martellus Bennett. That would be as close as embattled
coach Dennis Franchione and the Aggies came to pulling off
an upset, as Daniel’s 12-yard pass to Maclin in the
end zone highlighted another 80-yard drive. The defense put
an exclamation point on the game after a safety moments later
extended MU’s lead to 40-26.
“Our
guys kept fighting,” McGee said. “I wish we could've
converted a couple of times when we were down there. We just
didn't do that. You've got to hand it to them, they played
a really good game and our guys never quit. They always kept
fighting, and that's why this team is so special.”
Saturday’s
senior day sell-out puts the Tigers within reach of a Big
12 championship and a BCS berth.
