COLUMBIA, Mo. - The first annual football battle in the Ozarks went to the team from the north.
Missouri scored two fourth quarter touchdowns and overcame an 11-point deficit to beat Arkansas 21-14 Friday at Faurot Field. The No. 17 Tigers clinched their second consecutive SEC eastern division championship and will play in the SEC Championship Game next Saturday in Atlanta.
The Razorbacks fell to 6-6 overall and 2-6 in SEC games. Arkansas likely won’t know its bowl game designation until next Sunday.
Marcus Murphy ran for a 12-yard touchdown with 4:38 remaining to give Missouri (10-2, 7-1 SEC) its first lead of the game. Arkansas advanced as far as the Tigers 37 on the ensuing possession, but Alex Collins lost a fumble with 2:13 remaining, allowing Missouri to run out the clock.
Similar to a scene 13 days ago when Arkansas beat LSU in Fayetteville, thousands of Missouri fans stormed the field as the clock expired and “Georgia On My Mind” played over the public address system.
After settling for a pair of 50-plus yard field goals by Andrew Baggett in the first half, the Tigers finally made it to the end zone early in the fourth quarter to tie the game. Maty Mauk threw a 4-yard touchdown to Jimmie Hunt and receiver Bud Sasser threw a two-point conversion to Darius White.
Mauk’s 44-yard pass to Hunt on the first play of the fourth quarter set up the touchdown. He also had a 28-yard pass on the drive to Sasser, setting Missouri up inside the Arkansas 5.
The Tigers, who ran 83 offensive plays, had eight plays of 12 yards or longer during the fourth quarter. Missouri finished the game 423 yards of total offense against a Razorbacks defense that had recorded consecutive shutouts over LSU and Ole Miss.
Arkansas scored on two of its first three possessions to take a 14-3 lead in the second quarter. Brandon Allen’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Williams capped an 11-play, 70-yard opening drive for the Razorbacks and gave them a 7-0 lead.
After Baggett’s 52-yard field goal early in the second quarter, Arkansas was set up with good field position after Jared Cornelius returned a punt 35 yards to the Missouri 31.
Allen’s second touchdown pass went for 12 yards to Keon Hatcher midway through the second quarter. Baggett added a 51-yard field goal as time ran out in the second quarter and the Razorbacks led 14-6 at halftime.
After leaving the game early with an injury last week, Allen completed 13 of 30 passes for 133 yards. The junior was off on his throws for much of the second half, though, and Arkansas was unable to move the ball effectively as a result.
The Razorbacks reached Missouri territory six times after their final score. Arkansas had only 122 yards on 34 plays in the second half and compounded its problems by committing 12 penalties for 93 yards.
It was the fourth time this season the Razorbacks have lost a game despite leading in the fourth quarter.
Mauk completed 25 of 42 passes for 265 yards for the Tigers. Sasser had nine receptions for 127 yards.
The game between the programs was their first in the regular season since 1963 and first in Columbia since 1906.