Tigers’ defense stifles Huskers’ ground game
A 38-yard touchdown pass from Garnett Phelps to Jon Staggers at the start of the final quarter gave Missouri a come-from-behind victory over Nebraska, 10-7.
With 55,504 fans on hand at Missouri’s Faurot Field, Nebraska carried the fight to the Tigers all day, jumping to an early lead before the game became a tenacious defensive struggle.
Thanks to a 30-yard pass to Dennis Richnafsky and a 31-yard TD fling to Joe Orduna, Frank Patrick got the Huskers on the scoreboard, 7-0, with 7:30 gone in the first quarter. But Nebraska couldn’t break through the stubborn Tiger defense again and managed only 11 yards rushing for the game, lowest ever for a Bob Devaney-coached team.
Missouri cut the gap in the second period when Jay Wallace kicked a 45-yard field goal. It looked like Nebraska’s great defense might hang on to preserve the win, but three plays into the final quarter, disaster struck. All America Wayne Meylan almost nailed Phelps for a loss, but he got the ball airborne. At the goal line, Staggers stretched out through the air between two defenders and snared the ball for the game-winning touchdown.
It was the Tigers’ first win against Nebraska since 1962.
Recap source: 1968 media guide