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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 4:09 p.m., Saturday, October 25, 2008

CFB: Daniel passing, Missouri defense stuffs Colorado

By R.B. FALLSTROM
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Chase Daniel matched his school record with five touchdown passes and No. 16 Missouri's beleaguered defense handed Colorado its first shutout since 1988 in a 58-0 rout today.

Jeremy Maclin caught two touchdown passes and Chase Coffman set a career record for receptions by a Division I tight end for Missouri (6-2, 2-2 Big 12).

The Tigers punished the Buffaloes (4-4, 2-2) in their homecoming game one week after fading from the national title picture in a no-contest 25-point blowout loss at top-ranked Texas. The Tigers had lost their previous two games, also falling at home against Oklahoma State, after a 5-0 start in which they trailed for a grand total of 13 seconds.

Missouri led 34-0 at the half, a huge turnaround for a team that trailed Texas 35-0 late in the first half last week. Daniel completed his first 14 passes and was 31-for-37 for 302 yards with one interception against a defense that nursed a one-point lead for the final 25 minutes last week in a 14-13 victory over Kansas State.

Colorado absorbed the second straight spanking at the hands of Missouri, also losing 55-10 last year in Boulder, Colo., and was shut out for the first time since a 7-0 loss to Nebraska on Nov. 12, 1988. The 243-game streak was the third-longest in the nation.

Missouri shut out its first Big 12 opponent since a 48-0 victory over Kansas on Nov. 22, 1986, with Colorado driving inside the Missouri 9 before time ran out.

The Buffaloes have lost four of five, allowed a season high points and had zero success with either of coach Dan Hawkins' rotating quarterbacks against a defense that surrendered 56 points a week ago. Missouri's defense, ranked 100th in the country, recorded its first shutout since beating Ball State 48-0 Sept. 18, 2004.

Missouri jumped ahead by two touchdowns after its first seven plays, meeting no resistance on a 56-yard, four-play opening drive and then capitalizing on Colorado's awful opening possession, which netted minus-17 yards before punter Tom Sauzo fumbled the snap and was tackled at the 5.

The Tigers, known for their quick strike capability, also controlled the clock in the first half with consecutive touchdown drives of 13 and 15 plays lasting 5:10 and 4:57.

Freshman Tyler Hansen got his first career start ahead of Cody Hawkins and fumbled a shotgun snap on his first play to put Colorado in an immediate hole. He was held to 30 yards on 16 carries, a week after his 86 rushing yards helped beat Kansas State.

Coffman, the son of former NFL Pro Bowl tight end Paul Coffman, caught seven passes for 50 yards and has 220 career receptions. He broke the mark of 217 receptions by Ibn Green of Louisville from 1996-99, and extended a school record with his 25th career touchdown on a spectacular one-handed grab in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard score in the first half.

Maclin caught 11 passes for 134 yards, scoring from 3 and 30 yards, and added 41 yards on two punt returns.