Missouri took step forward with triple OT win

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Missouri's rebuilding football team took a step forward by going on the road and winning in three overtimes.

Oklahoma State, also rebuilding, took a step back by losing a two-touchdown lead and, eventually, the game 41-38 Saturday night.

In a game between evenly matched teams, Missouri made a few more plays and OSU made a few more mistakes. That was the difference.

The statistics were remarkably close. The Tigers gained 424 yards, OSU had 419. Missouri had 27 first downs compared with 23 for OSU. Both teams committed eight penalties and punted four times.

But Oklahoma State (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) lost two fumbles, which Missouri converted into third-quarter touchdowns, and in overtime the Cowboys had a 39-yard field goal blocked, which allowed Missouri to win the game a few minutes later on Brad Hammerich's 36-yarder.

"I told my team at halftime, a lot of times to get things going it's not going to be easy," Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said. "I was certainly right about that."

Playing their first road game of the season, the Tigers (2-2, 1-1) fell behind 14-0 in the second quarter, gaining only 47 yards in their first three possessions.

Then Darius Outlaw replaced Kirk Farmer at quarterback and led the Tigers 53 yards to a field goal. Farmer returned for the next series and, in the final 1:21 of the half, drove Missouri from its 9-yard line to the OSU 21. Hammerich kicked a 39-yard field goal as time expired and Missouri trailed 14-6.

"We just got some momentum going at the end of the half and I think the offense just got some confidence back," Pinkel said. "It's amazing what confidence does."

That carried over into the third quarter, when the Tigers scored touchdowns on all three of their possessions to take a 28-14 lead. Farmer capped each drive with a TD pass -- 15 yards to Thomson Omboga, 15 to Justin Gage and 20 to Dwayne Blakley. Farmer wound up 20-of-33 for 247 yards.

Oklahoma State's Aso Pogi returned the favor in the fourth quarter. He led the Cowboys to a touchdown early in the quarter that made the score 28-21, then threw a 21-yard scoring pass to Rashaun Woods on a fourth-and-6 play with 25 seconds remaining to force overtime.

Each team scored touchdowns in the first overtime and then field goals in the second overtime.

Oklahoma State's third overtime possession ended when Tauras Ferguson blocked a 39-yard field-goal attempt.

That allowed Missouri to run three plays up the middle and leave it up to Hammerich, who easily made his 36-yard game winner.