Postgame Points: Missouri 69, Western Illinois 0
Missouri defeated Western Illinois 69-0 on Saturday night.
Josey Comes Through: Any worries about Missouri's depth at running back have to be forgotten after this one. Henry Josey finished with the 263 yards on just 14 carries, the 4th best single game performance in MU history. Josey consistently pulled off huge runs (he averaged 18.8 yards per carry), needing only a couple cuts to find a hole and burn the Leathernecks defenders. He seems to be a FCS weapon for Missouri, since he ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns last season against McNeese State. But tonight's performance was truly one to remember. Freshman walk-on Jared Culver also had a solid outing, scoring a touchdown in the second half.
Franklin Shines: It was another workmanlike effort from James Franklin tonight. The sophomore had a few good downfield throws, and seemed to go through his reads very well. He also showed some poise, managing some effective scramble-and-throws when the pocket collapsed.
Misdirection: There was talk throughout the week that TJ Moe might see a few snaps at running back, but instead L'Damian Washington surprisingly got two carries for 10 yards.
Struggling Leathernecks: Missouri got the shutout on defense, and it was never really that close. Leathernecks QB Josh Hudson looked uncomfortable in the pocket while Missouri's defensive line wreaked havoc on his offensive line. A lot of blame should go to his lineman tonight, but you can't make much happen when your quarterback is running backwards instead of throwing the ball away.
More Records for MU: Missouri outgained WIU on offense 744-44, a school record for yards for the Tigers. Missouri broke the previous mark (665 yds) set against Kansas in 1949. The Tigers also tied the school record for points in a game, set against Kansas in 1969 and Nevada in 2008. Six different Tigers scored in the win.
Check back for the full recap in a bit.