Oct 27, 2001

Stats

By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Chris Simms passed for four touchdowns and ran for a fifth as No. 7 Texas recovered from a frustrating start to beat Missouri 35-16 Saturday.

Cedric Benson had 157 yards on 31 carries, his third straight 100-yard game. Texas (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) put together several lengthy drives, scoring after 10, 13 and 11 plays, after coming up empty on an 18-play march at the start of the game.

Texas has won 13 of its last 15 overall and has a six-game winning streak on the road. The Longhorns' defense, giving up 13 points a game, held its fifth straight opponent to fewer than 300 yards.

Zack Abron had 109 yards rushing on 13 carries and a touchdown for Missouri (3-4, 2-3), which has lost 42 in a row to Top 10 teams since 1980. Abron has three straight 100-yard games and four overall for the Tigers, who were outgained 421-244.

Simms has thrown 12 touchdown passes with one interception the last three weeks. He was 24-for-30 for 229 yards, with scoring passes to B.J. Johnson, Brock Edwards, Roy Williams and Brett Robin, and scored on a 1-yard sneak.

Johnson's touchdown put Texas ahead to stay at 14-10 with 1:50 to go in the first half. The Longhorns had to drive only 41 yards for the score after a 24-yard punt by Jared Gilpin.

Missouri backup quarterback Darius Outlaw had entered the game for the previous series starting from the Tigers 16, and was sacked on third down.

Simms' touchdown run put Texas ahead 21-10 in the third quarter and his 8-yarder to Williams with 10:27 remaining made it 28-10.

Abron, who has three touchdowns the last two weeks, scored on a 7-yard run with 7:41 to go and Texas wrapped up the scoring with a 39-yard shovel pass to Robin with 4:27 left.

Texas had the ball for 12 minutes in the first quarter, but did not score. The Longhorns stalled at the Missouri 2 and Dusty Mangum then was wide left on a 19-yard field-goal attempt.

Missouri took the lead on an 8-yard pass from Kirk Farmer to Ben Frederickson with 11:12 to go in the second quarter. The Tigers also got a 22-yard field goal from Brad Hammerich, who is 9-for-10 on the season, with 7 seconds to go in the half.

Farmer was 6-for-20 for 71 yards and an interception. Outlaw was 3-for-8 for 26 yards.