Ahmad Hardy ran for 300 yards and three touchdowns Saturday night and Missouri’s defense survived the loss of two starters on targeting ejections as it returned two interceptions for scores in a 49-27 win over visiting Mississippi State in Columbia, Mo.
Freshman quarterback Matt Zollers completed 8 of 15 passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns with an interception for the Tigers (7-3, 3-3 Southeastern Conference). Missouri outgained the Bulldogs 438-345 despite having possession for only 23:18.
Blake Shapen hit 19 of 33 passes for 199 yards and two picks as Mississippi State fell to 5-6 overall and 1-6 in the conference. The Bulldogs will have to upset No. 6 Ole Miss at home on Nov. 28 to become bowl-eligible.
Shapen also rushed for two scores, including a 3-yard run at the 10:28 mark of the third quarter that got Mississippi State within 21-17. But Missouri took command by scoring twice in a nine-second span.
Hardy ripped off a 72-yard touchdown with 5:56 left, followed by an ill-advised throw from Shapen that Toriano Pride snatched and lugged 19 yards for a 35-17 cushion.
Backup quarterback Kamario Taylor got the Bulldogs within 35-24 on a 3-yard scoring strike to Seydou Traore with 2:47 remaining in the third. However, the Tigers made it a laugher with two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Marvin Burks Jr. returned an interception 28 yards and Hardy capped his huge night with a 43-yard touchdown gallop at the 11:11 mark.
Missouri established a 14-3 lead late in the first quarter on the strength of Zollers’ arm. He sandwiched scoring strikes of 26 and 34 yards to Donovan Olugbode and Joshua Manning, respectively, around a 47-yard field goal by Kyle Ferrie.
Shapen scored on a 2-yard run to end the first quarter and Mississippi State was in position to take the lead. But the Tigers came up with a goal-line stand and then a botched snap on a field goal try was returned 62 yards by Pride to the 23.
Hardy cashed it in via a 10-yard run with 2:36 on the clock for a 21-10 halftime lead.
