COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Tennessee Volunteers dropped their final road SEC game of the season, 50-17, on Saturday night to Missouri as true freshman quarterback Will McBride made his first-career start for the Big Orange.
Tennessee (4-6, 0-6 SEC) now holds a 2-4 all-time record against Missouri (5-5, 2-4 SEC), including a 1-2 record in Columbia.
In his first start, McBride completed 16 of 32 passes for 139 yards and rushed for 63 yards on 14 carries. He’s the first Tennessee quarterback to lead the team in rushing yards since VFL Joshua Dobbs ran for a team-high 118 yards against Nebraska in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30, 2016.
The Tigers struck first in the contest, capitalizing on an eight-play, 82-yard drive with 9:15 left in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
On Missouri’s next drive, Tennessee’s defense returned its second pick-six of the season as sophomore defensive back Nigel Warrior intercepted a pass over the middle by Mizzou’s Drew Lock and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown.
With the game tied at seven, the Tigers used eight plays and a 31-yard pass by Lock to take a 14-7 advantage before Tennessee kicker Aaron Medley made a career-long 48-yard field goal to end the first.
In the second quarter, Mizzou’s kicker hit a 41-yarder to extend the Tigers’ lead to 17-10.
The Vols capitalized on the ensuing drive as McBride rushed for 16 yards on three carries and completed six of nine passes, including a 19-yard touchdown throw to senior tight end Ethan Wolf to tie the game up, 17-17.
Missouri then went on to score 33 unanswered points for the 50-17 final.
The Vols host LSU at Neyland Stadium for the first time since 2011 next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.
-UT Athletics
