That sinking feeling: Navy downs Missouri

The Midshipmen ran the Tigers ragged, putting up 385 yards rushing.

By Sean Leahy

Published Dec. 31, 2009

HOUSTON — It all started off so well for Missouri.

Moments after the opening kickoff the Tigers grasped a 7-0 lead when senior wide receiver Danario Alexander found the end zone on a 58-yard touchdown pass, the game’s second play.

But that was about all Missouri and its fans had to cheer for during a game the Tigers defense most likely wants to forget.

Navy used its prolific rushing attack to wear down the Missouri defense on the way to a 35-13 defeat of the Tigers in the Texas Bowl. The loss drops Missouri to 8-5 for the season and snaps a two-game bowl win streak.

“When you score on the second play of the game, you think it’ll be easier,” Alexander said. “I think we kind of let off the gas a little bit. We just didn’t execute the rest of the game.”

Instead, it was Navy that put on the offensive show.

The Midshipmen racked up 385 yards on the ground and kept the ball for 40:54 as the Tigers managed a more modest 19:06 time of possession. Navy ended up with 515 yards of total offense.

The man who directed Navy’s running machine during those 40 minutes was junior quarterback Ricky Dobbs.

Dobbs ran for 166 yards and three touchdowns and threw for 130 yards and another score. He was voted most valuable player.

Running Navy’s triple-option offense, Dobbs showed how dangerous it can be.

“It’s a great scheme,” coach Gary Pinkel said. “They’re very good at it. Ricky is exceptional.”

Although Pinkel gave credit to the Midshipmen, he also expressed displeasure with his own team’s performance.

“I was certainly disappointed in how we played really on both sides of the football,” Pinkel said.

In addition to getting scorched on defense, Missouri couldn’t get things going on offense after Alexander’s touchdown. It was a long day for sophomore quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who finished the game 15 of 31 passing for 291 yards and was sacked four times and intercepted twice. Struggling while facing pressure in the pocket, Gabbert ended up with -24 yards rushing.

Apart from the opening touchdown, Missouri managed a mere two field goals the rest of the way. One of the bright spots for Missouri was Alexander’s 137 yards receiving. His 137-yard average per game was tops in the nation going into the Texas Bowl.

When Missouri showed signs of slowing down on offense, Dobbs took over.

His one-yard touchdown run tied the game late in the first quarter and his 12-yard touchdown run put Navy on top for good in the second quarter. By the time he took it in the end zone from one yard out with less than five minutes left in the game, Missouri’s fate was sealed.

It was an emotional end for a senior whose class who won more games than any other in Missouri history. Senior linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who finished the game with seven tackles, said he wished things could have turned out differently.

“It’s definitely tough to go out losing,” Weatherspoon said. “It’s something we hadn’t planned on doing. We wanted to go out as winners in our last game. To go out like that, it’s pretty tough.”