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Nebraska takes control of Big 12 North with win over Missouri

Nov 4, 2006 - 9:08 PM LINCOLN, Nebraska (Ticker) -- Nebraska just might get that rematch with Texas after all.

Wide receiver Maurice Purify threw a touchdown pass and caught another score and Nebraska took control of the Big 12 North Division race with a 34-20 victory over reeling Missouri.

The Cornhuskers (7-3, 4-2 Big 12 North) lost a tough 22-20 game to Texas on October 21, but it was their first league loss and a rematch looked like a distinct possibility. Then last week, Oklahoma State overcame a 16-point deficit to hand Nebraska a 41-29 defeat and throw the North Division title up for grabs.

Purify helped Nebraska again grab control of the division with a pair of first-half scores. He threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Terrence Nunn with 1:30 left in the first quarter to give the Cornhuskers a 10-0 lead and caught a seven-yard TD from Zac Taylor just over a minute into the second quarter to extend the advantage to 17-0.

Taylor completed 13-of-21 passes for 208 yards and added a 17-yard scoring strike to Hunter Teafatiller with 5:04 left in the first half to make it 24-3.

Missouri (7-3, 3-3 North) was one of the feel-good stories in college football early on, getting off to a 6-0 start. But the Tigers have struggled in the past month, losing three of four.

Chase Daniel was 20-of-38 for 244 yards and a pair of second-half TD passes. He also threw two interceptions in the first half that both led to Cornhusker touchdowns.