Missouri loses Border Showdown on last-second field goal miss
Chase Daniel had two interceptions and one fumble.
Published Nov. 29, 2008
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Senior kicker Jeff Wolfert's field goal attempt is blocked by Kansas defenders as time expires, giving the Jayhawks a 40-37 over the Tigers on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
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Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing jumps into the arms of Kansas fans after the Jayhawks' 40-37 victory over MU on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
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Sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Maclin stiff-arms Kansas safety Darrell Stuckey during Saturday's game. Maclin had 123 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' 40-37 loss.
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Senior safety William Moore attempts to tackle Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing in the first half of Saturday's game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Tigers trailed the Jayhawks 19-10 at halftime.
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Kansas safety Darrell Stuckey blocks a pass intended for sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Maclin during the first half of Saturday's game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
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Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing looks for an open receiver in the first half of Saturday's game.
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Missouri wide receiver Tommy Saunders evades Kansas corner back Chris Harris in the first half of Saturday's game.
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Kansas wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe looks for a way around MU defensive back Castine Bridges. Briscoe had 115 receiving yards and one touchdown.
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Kansas cornerback Daymond Patterson shoves MU wide receiver Danario Alexander out of bounds as Alexander attempts to catch a pass during Saturday's game.
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Senior wide receiver Tommy Saunders dives for a pass in the second half of Saturday's game at Arrowhead Stadium. Saunders had four receptions for 48 yards a touchdown.
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Sophomore defensive back Carl Gettis breaks up a pass intended for Kansas wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe.
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Freshman offensive lineman Elvis Fisher walks off the field after the Tigers fell to the Jayhawks 40-37 on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. MU's last-second field goal attempt to tie was blocked, securing the win for Kansas.
KANSAS CITY — The only place that Kansas could imagine upsetting No. 13 Missouri was in their wildest dreams. With 27 seconds remaining, the Tigers saw Kansas’ dreams come true when junior quarterback Todd Reesing hit junior wide receiver Kerry Meier for a 26-yard touchdown pass on fourth and seven to give Kansas a 40-37 lead.
Reesing’s “a really, good, great player,” coach Gary Pinkel said. “We blitzed at the end and didn’t get to him. We broke down a little bit in there and didn’t execute like we wanted to.”
After Kansas took the lead, Missouri moved down the field trying to set up senior kicker Jeff Wolfert for a field goal attempt to send the game to overtime. With five seconds left, Wolfert attempted a 54-yard field goal, but Kansas blocked it, and the clock expired.
“It was blocked at the line,” Wolfert said. “We got in a position where I can make that kick, and I felt like I made the right kick, but they were at the right place at the right time and able to make the deflection. I don’t feel like I mis-hit it.”
Missouri got off to a slow start and had zero passing yards in the first quarter. The defense was unable to stop Reesing and the Kansas offense, falling behind 10-0 on the first play of the second quarter. It began to appear that a Kansas upset might happen.
Daniel struggled against the Jayhawks, throwing two interceptions and fumbling once. On the fumble, Daniel rushed for a 48-yard gain, but the ball came loose while he was tackled and Kansas recovered. Daniel’s counterpart, Reesing, threw for four touchdowns and 375 yards.
“I had a lot of turnovers,” Daniel said. “Our offense didn’t have a lot of turnovers, except for me. They’re a good defense and they played exceptionally well.”
With Kansas holding a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter, MU needed an answer. Junior defensive tackle Jaron Baston picked off Kansas junior quarterback Todd Reesing, and on the following play, Daniel capitalized by hitting senior wide receiver Tommy Saunders for a 35-yard touchdown pass.
“The whole defense said we need a turnover and the ball came right to me, and I made a good play on it,” Baston said.
In the fourth quarter, the teams traded scores, each scoring twice, and after sophomore tailback Derrick Washington ran for a six-yard touchdown with 1:50 remaining, it appeared that Missouri might escape the upset.
Missouri wore gold jerseys with black pants for the first time since 1984, a game when Missouri also lost by a field goal.
“Everybody walked into the locker room and just lit up,” Washington said. “It was great to see those jerseys in there. Everybody came out and we were all excited.”
They weren’t as excited when it was time to take off the jerseys.
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