Texas A&M
Missouri
Aggies Break Road Jinx, Down MU 51-14
Nov 13, 1999 | Football
November 13, 1999
The 23rd-ranked Texas A&M football team won its first road game of the season in a big way Saturday afternoon, taming the Missouri Tigers 51-14 before a crowd of 57,472 at Faurot Field and a regional television audience.
The Aggie ground game, held dormant in recent weeks, broke out for 254 yards on 48 carries and posted its first 100-yard rusher of the season in freshman Joe Weber. Weber rushed for 121 yards on eight carries, including a 77-yard scamper late in the contest. While being outgained by his teammate, sophomore Ja'Mar Toombs scored three touchdowns on runs of two, nine and seven yards. Toombs posted a 22-carry, 77-yard afternoon.
A&M's offense took the opening kickoff and drove methodically down the field to score their first touchdown in the opening quarter this season. Completing just two passes on the 17-play, 77-yard drive, the Aggies used just over seven minutes before Toombs' first score of the day opened the scoring.
The score remained 7-0 until the third quarter, as the Aggie "Wrecking Crew" defense held the Tigers to just 87 yards of offense and four first downs in the first half. A close game throughout the first half, however, became just the opposite after the break, as A&M scored 28 points in the 3rd quarter.
After a Missouri punt to open the second half, the Aggies needed just three plays to break the goal line again. Quarterback Randy McCown found sophomore wide receiver Bethel Johnson for a 39-yard touchdown pass to make the score 14-0. On Mizzou's first play from scrimmage following the score, Jason Glenn forced a Tiger fumble and Lonnie Madison fell on the ball at the MU 29-yard line. Four plays later, Toombs scored on a 9-yard rumble, his second TD of the day.
Texas A&M would get another Toombs touchdown, this one a 7-yard run, and a 32-yard field goal by Shane Lechler to give them a 31-0 lead entering the final frame. Missouri's first drive of the 4th quarter was stopped when Michael Jameson grabbed his first interception of the day. That would set up a drive ending with a 10-yard touchdown run by D'Andre Hardeman. Shane Lechler's extra point was no good, making the score 37-0 in favor of the visitors.
MU would get on the board midway through the 4th quarter on a 1-yard run by Dwayne Blakley. A&M would answer immediately, using Weber's 77-yard run to set up a one-yard plunge by quarterback Mark Farris. On the ensuing drive, Jameson picked off a Justin Gage pass and returned it 70 yards for a touchdown, his third interception return for a score this season, breaking Kevin Smith's mark of two in 1991.
The Tigers would close out the scoring with 1:36 to play on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Gage to Eric Spencer.
McCown was 12-of-21 on the day for 201 yards and a touchdown. Lechler continued his stellar senior season, as he averaged 53.4 yards on six punts. Johnson (2-48) and Chris Taylor (3-35) led the Aggie receiving corps.
Texas A&M (7-3, 4-3) will take next weekend off before hosting Texas at Kyle Field on Friday, November 26. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. (CST) and the game will be televised nationally by ABC. The annual Texas A&M Bonfire is set to burn Thanksgiving evening, November 25.
