ST. LOUIS, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Brad Smith ran for 138 yards and a touchdown and passed for 152 yards Saturday, leading Missouri to a 33-20 upset of Illinois in the first battle of the border rivals since 1994.
A redshirt freshman, Smith carried 18 times and scored on a 24-yard keeper early in the fourth quarter to extend Missouri's lead to 33-14. He also completed 15 of 26 passes as the Tigers avenged a 42-0 loss in the last meeting with Illinois in 1994 and took a 12-7 lead in the series.
Coming off a 4-7 season, Missouri took the lead for good, 20-14, with 5 1/2 minutes to go in the third quarter as sophomore linebacker James Kinney returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown.
Zack Abron, who carried 26 times for 116 yards, stretched the lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter with a three-yard run, his second touchdown of the game.
Illinois, the defending Big Ten Conference champion, struggled behind Ward, who backed up Kurt Kittner for two seasons and was just nine for 21 for 124 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was replaced by Jon Beutjer, who also went nine for 21 for 122 yards and a touchdown.
The Fighting Illini never led as they had a seven-game regular-season winning streak snapped. A two-yard run by Antoineo Harris forged a 7-7 tie in the first quarter and Ward's 29-yard scoring strike to Brandon Lloyd made it 14-14 early in the third.
Lloyd also hauled in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Beutjer midway through the final period and had eight receptions for 137 yards.
