A balanced, methodical performance from their offense and bend-don't-break play by their defense gave the No. 9 Missouri Tigers a 24-10 win over No. 24 Ole Miss Saturday night in Oxford. The win leaves the Tigers (10-1, 6-1 SEC) one win from an SEC East title and berth in the conference's championship game. Ole Miss (7-4, 3-4 SEC) could now fall to sixth in the SEC West with an Egg Bowl loss next week.
Missouri vs. Ole Miss 2013 results: Tigers grind out 24-10 win over Rebels
Missouri beat Ole Miss in a very SEC way: With the running game and defense.
Missouri running back Henry Josey staked the Tigers to an early lead by running in a four-yard touchdown on the game’s first drive. After an exchange of field goals, Marcus Murphy ran in Mizzou’s second touchdown of the night, and the Tigers held a 17-3 lead at the half.
Ole Miss came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders, and a 45-yard touchdown run by I'Tavius Mathers narrowed the Missouri lead to seven points. The Tigers restored their advantage through an 85-yard touchdown drive, capped by Josey's second touchdown run of the night. After three quarters, Mizzou led 24-10.
Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace, who was hampered by flu-like symptoms and was briefly taken out of the game, returned to drive Ole Miss deep into Missouri territory with eight minutes left to play. The Tigers kept the Rebels out of the end zone, though, and -- unbeknownst to the Rebels -- Ole Miss was out of options. Missouri's offense ran 14 times in a row, running the last eight minutes off the clock and cementing the win.
Box Score Hero: It was a group effort for Missouri, so the game ball goes to the running back tandem of Henry Josey and Marcus Murphy. Mizzou's top two backs combined for 31 carries, 163 rushing yards and all three Tigers touchdowns.
Rankings Ramifications: Missouri could see a move in the polls, especially given the losses by Oregon and perhaps Baylor ahead of them. Ole Miss, which reentered the polls only recently, will likely fall back out of the Top 25.
But Did They Cover? Missouri entered as a 2.5-point favorite. They covered with ease.
For More On This Game: For more on Mizzou football, visit Missouri community Rock M Nation. For more on Rebels football, visit Ole Miss community Red Cup Rebellion. Both programs are part of the conversation at SEC community Team Speed Kills.
Next Week’s Schedule: Mizzou closes its regular season by hosting Texas A&M. Ole Miss faces an Egg Bowl matchup with Mississippi State.
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