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No. 21 Mizzou starts year off right with win over Miami-Ohio

Sep 3, 2011 - 11:47 PM Columbia, MO (Sports Network) - James Franklin rushed for a touchdown and threw for another score as No. 21 Missouri defeated Miami-Ohio, 17-6, in the season opener for each school.

Franklin completed 17-of-26 passes for 129 yards with an interception and added 72 yards on 14 rush attempts. T.J. Moe caught six passes for 56 yards for Missouri (1-0), which is coming off a 10-3 campaign.

"There are some things the offense has to work on, but the defense did a great job putting us in situations where we didn't feel like we were pressured. But I think together, we did [well] as a team and we came away with a win," said Franklin.

Zac Dysert went 26-for-39 for 194 yards and an interception in the RedHawks' (0-1) losing effort. Erik Finklea added 71 yards and a score on the ground and Chris Givins caught seven passes for 71 yards for the defending Mid- American Conference champions.

Missouri took over on their own 24-yard line with 8:35 to go in the first after Miami-Ohio kicker Mason Krysinski missed a 41-yard field goal to the left. Franklin capped the 11-play drive with a five-yard run for a score, giving the RedHawks the lead.

Grant Ressel nailed a 38-yard field goal late in the second quarter and E.J. Gaines intercepted a Dysert pass in the end zone with a little over two minutes to go to keep the Tigers in front, 10-0, at the half.

Dayonne Nunley picked off a Franklin pass at Missouri's 19-yard line in the third, leading to a 10-yard TD run by Finklea. Krysinski then missed the extra point.

Franklin's 10-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Lucas on the first play of the first quarter finalized the scoring.

"I think we did a lot of good things out there. We moved the ball well I thought. You know, we just have to finish. We have to score. We're going to learn a lot of things from the tape," said Dysert.

Game Notes

Henry Josey averaged 7.2 yards per attempt for Missouri, rushing for 43 yards on six carries...Finklea carried the ball 19 times...David Frazier caught six passes for 55 yards for the RedHawks.