Alexander makes history as Tigers bring down Iowa State

The senior wide receiver set the school record for single-season receiving yards.

By Sean Leahy

Published Nov. 21, 2009

In his last game at Faurot Field, senior wide receiver Danario Alexander gave the Missouri faithful some history to remember him by.

Alexander set the school record for receiving yards in a season and Missouri (7-4, 3-4 Big 12) won a battle of tug of war 34-24 against Iowa State (6-6, 3-5 Big 12).

The win is Missouri’s second in a row — the first time since September Missouri has won consecutive games.

“It was a great fourth quarter win,” coach Gary Pinkel said. “You don’t want to have to be in the fourth quarter and have to win football games, but those kind of wins also help you the rest of this year and, since we have so many players coming back, next year.”

The win bolsters the Tigers’ bid for a bowl and ensures Missouri won’t go winless in conference at home for the first time since 1994.

Alexander’s record-breaking catch came in the first quarter, as he passed previous record holder Jeremy Maclin’s mark of 1,260 yards.

After pulling down 173 yards on 11 catches, Alexander now sits in the No. 3 spot in Missouri’s all-time receiving yards list.

Heading into the season, Alexander never thought he would break Maclin’s records.

“I never thought about that,” Alexander said. “I thought I was going to have a good year. I was going to come out here and play my best. It’s been remarkable to this point.”

Alexander was one of 14 Missouri seniors sent off with a victory on Senior Day.

“We definitely needed that one,” senior linebacker Sean Weatherpoon said. “It’s been tough in The Zou in conference play. We had some tough ones in here and to get this win means a lot.”

The victory wasn’t always a certainty. The Tigers headed into the locker room down 17-10 after a late touchdown.

Cyclones’ junior quarterback Austen Arnaud lofted a 38-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Darius Darks with 26 seconds left in the half to give Iowa State its first lead of the game.

The teams traded blows in a third quarter, and the game was tied at 24 heading into the fourth.

In the third, Alexander broke off another long touchdown run for 63 yards. After pulling in the catch, the senior weaved through defenders and turned on the afterburners to get in the end zone.

“(Sophomore wide receivers) Jerrell (Jackson) and Wes Kemp, they did a great job blocking on the outside,” Alexander said. “I just wanted to hit as fast as I could because I knew there were guys coming from the side.”

Despite the highlight reel play, Missouri still had some work to do to get the win. A 38-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Grant Ressel gave the Tigers another lead, and sophomore tailback De’Vion Moore’s one-yard touchdown run put the nail in Iowa State’s coffin.

In the meantime, the Cyclones’ offense was stymied. Iowa State managed a mere 11 total yards of offense and earned one first down in two drives.