ST. LOUIS (AP) — Luther Burden III put on a show in his first collegiate game in his hometown, catching a career-high 10 passes for a career-best 177 yards to help Missouri beat Memphis 34-27 Saturday night in St. Louis.
Fellow St. Louis native Brady Cook completed 18 of 25 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns to help Missouri to its first 4-0 start since 2013.
Seth Henigan completed 31 of 47 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns but also tossed a pair of interceptions for Memphis (3-1).
Harrison Mevis converted both of his field goal attempts from 25 and 32 yards a week after booting an SEC record 61-yard game-winning field goal to beat then No. 15 Kansas State. He also recovered his own onside kick on the opening kickoff, but the play was negated by a Missouri off-side penalty.
Cody Schrader led Missouri with 123 rushing yards on 14 carries and sealed the game for Missouri with a 37-yard touchdown run with 2:46 remaining.
Tanner Gillis kicked a 22-yard field goal with 5:18 left in the fourth quarter to cut Missouri’s lead to 27-20.
Burden left the game with cramping after hauling in a 56 yard pass from Cook with 9:34 remaining in the third quarter before returning later in the fourth. Missouri pulled ahead 24-10 on its next play when Cook connected with Theo Wease Jr. on a 19-yard touchdown.
Missouri needed just three plays to travel 91 yards on its opening drive culminating in Cook connecting with Marquis Johnson on a 76-yard touchdown pass.
DOME SWEET DOME
Missouri improved to 7-0 at The Dome at America’s Center since playing its first game in the building in 2002. All six of Missouri’s previous matchups came against the University of Illinois. Missouri improved to 9-1 all-time in St. Louis with its only loss coming to Air Force at Busch Stadium II on Sept. 26, 1970.
THE TAKEAWAY
Memphis: In its only regular season game against a Power 5 school, Memphis used an aggressive approach converting three of four fourth-down attempts.
Missouri: Enters conference play undefeated despite not beating a FBS school by more than one touchdown. Missouri had not won four straight games to open a season since 2013 when it opened the season with seven straight wins en route to winning the SEC East Division championship.
UP NEXT
Memphis: Hosts Boise State Saturday.
Missouri: At Vanderbilt Saturday to open SEC play.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
