COLUMBIA, Mo. _ Middle Tennessee and sophomore quarterback Brent Stockstill spoiled Missouri's homecoming Saturday in a 4-hour, point-scoring bonanza.
The Blue Raiders lit up the Memorial Stadium scoreboard in record fashion, outlasting the Tigers, 51-45.
The last time Mizzou allowed that many points in a non-conference game at home was a 51-7 loss against Iowa Navy Pre-Flight on Nov. 18, 1944.
Middle Tennessee actually was outgained in yards 629-584, but won the turnover battle and benefited from 13 penalties for 125 yards against first-year coach Barry Odom's squad.
Bowl hopes for the Tigers (2-5) were dealt a severe blow.
Mizzou needs to win four of its five remaining games _ all in Southeastern Conference play _ to have a chance at the postseason, an unlikely scenario given a nine-game losing streak in conference play.
Halftime arrived with Missouri down 34-28 after a spate of first-half gaffes gifted Middle Tennessee 10 points and threw away a promising possession on junior J'Mon Moore's second fumble of the season.
The Blue Raiders jumped in front 10-0 before the Tigers threw a counterpunch.
Stockstill burned Mizzou with a 63-yard quarterback draw on Middle Tennessee's initial third down of the game, setting up a 15-yard touchdown pass two plays later to senior Dennis Andrews.
The Tigers also lost senior linebacker Michael Scherer for the game _ and possibly longer _ on the drive.
The Raiders added a 39-yard field goal by junior Canon Rooker after a fumble by Mizzou sophomore quarterback Drew Lock on the next drive.
Mizzou committed to the ground game on the ensuing drive, which ended with freshman Damarea Crockett's pinballing 4-yard touchdown.
Crockett finished the drive with six carries for 35 yards and Drew Lock added a 24-yard run on the quarterback keeper.
Rooker added a 28-yard field goal before the Tigers surged in front on a 15-yard touchdown from Lock to sophomore Kendall Blanton _ who made a diving, one-handed stab for the go-ahead touchdown.
The lead would change five more times.
Another 4-yard touchdown by Crockett extended Mizzou's lead before back-to-back long touchdowns by Middle Tennessee.
Senior I'Tavius Mathers scored the first basically untouched on a 71-yard run, and the Raiders went in front on a 56-yard pass from Stockstill to sophomore Richie James.
Senior cornerback Aarion Penton, sophomore safety Cam Hilton and redshirt freshman cornerback T.J. Warren converged on James more than 20 yards downfield, but he squirted free from the trio and put Middle Tennessee back in front 27-21.
Crockett's third touchdown, a 2-yard run in the "Bone" package with senior defensive tackle Josh Augusta serving as lead blocker, put Mizzou back in front a few minutes later.
Deep in Raiders territory, the Tigers' offense stalled and a botched punt snap led to a 22-yard loss.
One play later, James walked in on a 7-yard run for a 34-28 halftime lead.
Mizzou retook the lead early in the third quarter on a 21-yard touchdown run by Crockett, who is the first true freshman in program history with four touchdowns in a game and three 100-yard rushing performances in his debut season.
The lead was short-lived as Middle Tennessee answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped by Stockstill's 4-yard touchdown pass to Mathers.
Down 41-35 early in the fourth quarter, the Tigers were stuffed on three straight runs inside the Raiders' 7-yard line and settled for halving the lead with a 21-yard field goal by freshman Tucker McCann.
During Middle Tennessee's next drive, which ended with a 5-yard touchdown from Stockstill to Andrews, junior defensive end Marcell Frazier was ejected for targeting.
Frazier will sit out the first half against Kentucky next week.
Mizzou rebounded from going down double digits again with a long scoring drive.
Three plays after getting blasted in the side of the head and fumbling on a designed quarterback draw, Lock connected with his savior, sophomore wide receiver Ray Wingo.
Wingo, who recovered Lock's fumble to maintain the Tigers' possession, hauled in a perfectly thrown back-shoulder fade for a 17-yard score that made it 48-45.
Rooker added a 21-yard field goal with 6:17 left that iced the win.
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