COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri got touchdowns off all three of Kentucky's lost fumbles and quarterback James Franklin
presided over a strong finish in a reserve role coming off a knee
injury as the Tigers earned a long-delayed first win in their debut SEC
season with a 33-10 victory on Saturday.
Kendial Lawrence
ran for 108 yards on 23 carries with two TDs for Missouri (4-4, 1-4),
which overcame its own sloppiness, too, after getting last week off
following a 32-point loss at home to top-ranked Alabama. Marcus Murphy fumbled his first two punt-return attempts and Corbin Berkstresser was intercepted on consecutive passes by freshman J.D. Harmon
to start the second half before getting replaced by Franklin, who was
limited in practice this week after missing most of the previous two
games with a strained left knee.
Raymond Sanders
scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter for Kentucky (1-8, 0-5),
which has lost seven in a row. The Wildcats produced just three points
off three turnovers.
The game was still up for grabs, with
Missouri leading 17-10 midway through the third quarter, when Franklin
got the call. The junior was a steadying influence although he was much
better when he just handed it off.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson ran 60 yards to the Kentucky 25 after stripping the ball from Jonathan George to set up the game's first touchdown. Zavier Gooden recovered a fumble at the Kentucky 12 after Brad Madison and Will Ebner combined to sack Patrick Towles early in the fourth quarter to set up a 9-yard run by Marcus Murphy and E.J. Gaines skirted the sideline on a 13-yard return off Frank Sanders' fumble for a 33-10 cushion with 8:45 to go.
Harmon's
first career interception gave Kentucky possession at the Missouri 33,
but the Wildcats netted minus-12 yards with an offensive pass
interference call before punting it back. Craig McIntosh, who made a 43-yard field goal in the first half, was wide right on a 47-yard attempt after Harmon's second pick near midfield.
The interceptions were Kentucky's first in five games.
Missouri totaled four fumbles in the first half but lost just one. Berkstresser fumbled twice but recovered both of them.
Lawrence's
second score came with 1:32 to go and capitalized on a fumbled snap on a
53-yard field-goal attempt by Kentucky that wasted Demarco Robinson's 27-yard return of a 27-yard punt. Richardson sacked holder Jared Leet, who recovered the ball after mishandling the snap and had attempted to roll out.
Freshman Dorial Green-Beckham
caught two passes on the go-ahead drive, the first receptions for the
nation's top recruit last winter since catching an 80-yard touchdown
pass against Central Florida in Week 5.
Kentucky had plenty of success with cutback runs its first two drives, rolling up 115 yards, but finished with just 179 yards.
