Missouri takes series lead over Kansas with 38-34 win

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Five of Kirk Farmer's passes went for touchdowns and luckily for Missouri, only two counted for Kansas.

It was that third one that made the difference in the Tigers' see-saw 38-34 victory Saturday in the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi.

"I don't like to think I didn't come out ready to play but it was apparent I didn't," said Farmer, who ran for 86 yards and passed for 246 yards and three touchdowns but also had interceptions returned for scores.

"I didn't come out and take control. It was very upsetting to me and probably my teammates."

Farmer threw the go-ahead 14-yard touchdown pass to Dwayne Blakely in the fourth quarter as Missouri (3-3, 2-2 Big 12) beat their archrivals on the road for the first time in 10 years. A couple of minutes earlier, a penalty had wiped out Farmer's 29-yard touchdown pass to Justin Gage.

The victory, which included more than 800 yards of combined total offense, put Missouri ahead 51 games to 50 in a 110-year-old series that's also had nine ties.

"Normally a quarterback throws two interceptions for touchdowns, it shakes their confidence," said Kansas coach Terry Allen. "But Kirk came back."

Kansas (2-4, 1-3), had leads of 14 and 3 points, going on top 34-31 on Reggie Duncan's 15-yard run with 12:35 left.

But back came the Tigers, with Blakely's catch capping a 79-yard drive.

"You talk about being proud of your football team," said Missouri coach Gary Pinkel. "I was very proud of our football team and how they kept fighting and fighting and fighting. There were a lot of momentum shifts out there."

Kansas freshman kicker Johnny Beck, who had been 10-of-11, missed a 30-yarder in the first quarter and missed again on a 23-yard attempt at the end of the third.

"That close, the kick shouldn't even be questionable. Just go right down the middle," he said. "Maybe I thought about it too much."

But on Kansas' next possession, Mario Kinsey's wild scramble was followed by a 39-yard pass to Barry Goodrich, setting up Duncan's 15-yard scoring run and a 34-31 Kansas lead.

Gage had 11 catches for 148 yards, including a 14-yard TD catch that gave the Tigers a 21-14 lead with three minutes left in the first half.

"Gage was the difference in the game," said Allen.

Kinsey's 24-yard TD pass to Deric Mills with 27 seconds left in the first half forged a 21-21 deadlock.