UPDATED, 5:00 p.m.
COLUMBIA, MO. • Missouri appeared to gain control of Saturday’s homecoming game late in the first quarter. Then the second quarter happened.
Middle Tennessee took a 34-28 lead into halftime after more bumbling and stumbling from the Tigers on offense, defense and special teams.
With at least three regulars knocked out of the game with injuries—linebacker Michael Scherer (knee), cornerback John Gibson (knee) and tight end Jason Reese (ribs)—the Tigers went up 21-13 on Damarea Crocket’s second of three touchdowns, but Middle Tennessee needed only one play to answer on I’Tavius Mathers’ 71-yard touchdown run through a crowd of tacklers diving at his heels.