AMHERST, Mass. (AP) — Missouri receiver Luther Burden scored on a 61-yard jet sweep less than a minute into the game, and the 21st-ranked Tigers went on to beat Massachusetts 45-3 on Saturday.
Missouri (5-1) rebounded from its 41-10 loss at Texas A&M last week with a resounding victory over the Football Bowl Subdivision independent. UMass (1-6) lost its third straight game.
Brady Cook completed 14 of 19 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns in three quarters and gave way to Drew Pyne to start the fourth. Marcus Carroll rushed for 91 yards on 13 carries with three touchdowns.
The Tigers, who entered the game ranked 15th nationally in total defense, limited UMass to 237 yards and 13 first downs.
Burden’s long scoring run on the second play from scrimmage was his second rushing TD of the season. Carroll scored on runs of 3 and 4 yards to make it 21-0 early in the second quarter.
UMass got on the board with Jacob Lurie’s 28-yard field goal. The Minutemen threatened late in the first half, driving to the Missouri 7 before linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. intercepted Taisun Phommachanh’s pass over the middle. The Tigers went up 24-3 on Blake Craig’s 43-yard field goal on the final play of the half.
Carroll’s third touchdown came on a 35-yard run in the third quarter, and Cook followed with TD passes of 63 yards to Joshua Manning and 8 yards to Brett Norfleet.
Phommachanh was 12 of 22 for 132 yards and an interception, and Te’Rai Powell was the Minutemen’s leading rusher with 39 yards on one carry. UMass managed just 95 yards on 31 rushes.
Missouri: The Tigers used a balanced attack to generate 461 total yards and a strong defensive performance that limited a third opponent to three points or less.
UMass: The Minutemen played the first of three games this season against opponents from the Southeastern Conference. They’ll travel to Mississippi State and Georgia in November.
Missouri: hosts Auburn on Saturday.
UMass: hosts Wagner on Oct. 26.
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