Missouri relied on the Joneses to win its first bowl game since 1981. Corby Jones rushed for three touchdowns and Julian Jones intercepted a pass and blocked a punt for a safety as the Tigers survived a furious second-half rally to beat West Virginia 34-31 in the 10th Annual Insight.com Bowl.
Missouri staked itself to leads of 24-3 and 31-10 before weathering the Mountaineers' comeback behind strong special teams play and the rushing of Devin West and Corby Jones. West, the No. 5 rusher in Division I-A entering the game, finished with 125 yards on 31 attempts, while Jones posted 51 yards rushing and 130 yards through the air.
The Tigers took a 7-0 lead when Jeff Marriott blocked a field goal attempt and Carlos Posey scooped the ball near the sidelines and raced untouched for the score. Corby Jones had two touchdown runs in the first half and Julian Jones blocked a punt through the end zone for a safety to give Missouri a 24-3 halftime lead.
West Virginia quarterback Marc Bulger threw four second-half touchdowns passes, including a nine-yard toss to Amos Zereoue that cut Missouri's lead to 31-24 with 10:27 to play.
But Corby Jones led a 14-play, 76-yard drive that consumed 6:43 before stalling at the one-yard line to set up an 18-yard field goal by Brian Long. Bulger quickly led the Mountaineers down the field and threw a one-yard touchdown pass to David Saunders to pull WVU to within 34-31 with 2:11 to play.
But Missouri's Dwayne Blakley recovered the onside kick and the Tigers ran out the clock.
Mizzou, after appearing in its first bowl game in 13 years the previous season, won a postseason game for the first time since the 1981 Tangerine Bowl.
Bulger finished with a school record 429 yards passing and Shawn Foreman set an Insight.com Bowl record with 11 receptions for 189 yards.
