By Southern Pigskin Staff
SouthernPigskin.com

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Missouri’s offensive struggles reappeared at times as the Tigers gained 320 yards, but the defense limited Kentucky to 258 yards and 2-for-16 on third-down conversions.

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Maty Mauk completed 18 of 33 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns — both to Bud Sasser — to lead Missouri past Kentucky in a 20-10 win Saturday.

Mauk added another 75 yards on the ground, picking up four first downs, and completed 10 consecutive passes in the first half, including a 26-yard toss to a streaking Sasser in the end zone over defender J.D. Harmon.

Sasser also hauled in a 3-yard toss for a TD and finished with six catches for 67 yards. Andrew Baggett kicked 41- and 21-yard field goals.

Coupled with Georgia’s 38-20 loss to Florida, the Tigers (7-2, 4-1) now lead the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division by a half-game.

Missouri’s offensive struggles reappeared at times as the Tigers gained 320 yards, but the defense limited Kentucky to 258 yards and 2-for-16 on third-down conversions.

Patrick Towles gained 158 yards through the air for Kentucky (5-4, 2-4), a week after throwing for a career-high 390 yards against Mississippi State.

Kentucky struggled to achieve much consistency on offense itself, starting 0-for-8 on third-down conversions. Towles threw for 1 yard and an interception in the first half before leading an 80-yard touchdown drive to narrow his team’s deficit to 20-10 with 3:26 remaining.

The Wildcats then recovered the ensuring onside kick, but Missouri’s Matt Hoch and Michael Scherer stopped Towles for a 2-yard loss on 4th-and-1 at the Tigers’ 21-yard line.

After a 3-and-out by Missouri, Kentucky had another chance but Shane Ray sacked Towles on 4th down, his second sack of the game and his 12th of the season, breaking the previous school record of 11.5 set by Aldon Smith and Michael Sam.

Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press