Sports

SHREVEPORT, La. –- Cedric Cobbs started and finished his Arkansas career on top.

Cobbs, a senior tailback, rushed for 141 yards and one touchdown in Arkansas’ 27-14 victory against Missouri in the Independence Bowl on Wednesday.

SHREVEPORT, La. -– The introduction to ESPN’s broadcast declared the Independence Bowl the beginning of Brad Smith’s Heisman Trophy campaign.

The campaign was a little slow getting off the ground, but senior wide receiver Darius Outlaw said it’s only getting started.

SHREVEPORT, La. –- For Zach Strom, staying perfect turned out to be too good to be true.

Strom, Missouri’s junior deep snapper, had never made a game-day mistake before Wednesday. In the second quarter, Strom’s first miscue appeared to unleash Arkansas.

SHREVEPORT, La. -– Special teams don’t need to be special for Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, but they need to be reliable.

Missouri didn’t accomplish that Wednesday. The Tigers made numerous special-teams blunders in their 27-14 loss to Arkansas.

Missouri had prepared for Belmont.

The Tigers had watched film. They had reviewed scouting reports. They had practiced hard, but despite the preparatory homework, the Tigers were a confused bunch after their disappointing 71-67 home loss to the Bruins on Tuesday night.

1 The Missouri defense has to flush Arkansas quarterback Ryan Sorahan out of the pocket and keep quarterback Matt Jones in it. Sorahan has a strong arm and Jones excels with his legs.

Sorahan was able to stand in and complete all three passes he attempted in his one series, and Jones was able to get out and run. Jones gained 74 yards on seven carries and was tough to bring down in the secondary.

SHREVEPORT, La. -– As expected, Missouri and Arkansas did what they do best: They ran the ball. They ran it a lot.

The Razorbacks and Tigers, ranked seventh and eighth in the nation in rushing yards per game in the regular season, combined for 552 rushing yards, the most in Independence Bowl history.

Preventing the open 3-pointer and avoiding defensive lapses at key times have plagued Missouri all season.

Those problems caused the Tigers to lose two straight heading into Tuesday’s game, and they continued.

SHREVEPORT, La. — The Independence Bowl doesn’t mean anything to the Missouri football team. It means everything.

The Tigers haven’t been to a bowl since the 1998 Insight.com Bowl, so it would make sense if they were just happy to be involved. They could have easily come to Shreveport, enjoyed the gifts the bowl gives them and taken in the sights.

Missouri’s first-half defense was the deciding factor against Iowa on Tuesday.

The Tigers kept the Hawkeyes’ offense off-balance throughout the first half with an energized defensive effort that guided Missouri to a 75-65 win at Hearnes Center.

SHREVEPORT, La. -- Either Hannah Bowlin is trying to impress her fiancé or she has quickly taken to the Missouri Tigers.

Bowlin, 17, was one of about 150 fans who came to Pierre Bossier Mall in Bossier City, La., on Monday afternoon to gather Tigers’ autographs. She was the only person getting her leg cast signed, though.

Take it from AJ: It’s not the coaching staff, offensive scheme or defensive difficulties that are responsible for Missouri’s lackluster first month.

It is much simpler than that.

SHREVEPORT, La. -– Comparing Arkansas’ Matt Jones and Missouri’s Brad Smith is easy. Two running quarterbacks.

It’s not so simple.

Missouri’s schedule is about to get a lot busier.

After playing one game in the past 19 days, the Tigers host Iowa at Hearnes Center today in the first of three games in six days.

LIBERTY — The Rock Bridge offense had a case of the Mondays after its bus left for the campus of William Jewell at 6:30 a.m.

It had enough, though, to defeat the Hickman Mills Cougars 36-27 on Monday morning in the consolation bracket of the Cardinal Division of the Bank Midwest/William Jewell Holiday Classic.

The Missouri wrestling team won the Southern Scuffle Monday at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. The Tigers had 185 to better Minnesota’s 169.5. Edinboro was third with 108.5.

Ben Askren was one of four Tigers to win titles. Askren, who had three pins and was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler, beat Edinboro’s Nate Yeter 14-6 in the 174-pound championship match.

The Kewpies defeated Lincoln (Ill.) 57-36 in a consolation game at the KTXR Lady Classic tournament at Drury University in Springfield.

Stephanie Burger and Lauren Harris led Hickman (12-1) with 12 points apiece. Amy Bolerjack, who had three 3-pointers, had 11.

Bret Burchard scored 18 points to lead the Kewpies to a 80-50 victory against Cruthersville in a first-round game at the Poplar Bluff tournament. Taylor Trogdon scored 14 and Mikel Fields had 13.

Hickman (4-4) plays Parkview from Little Rock, Ark., in the semifinals at 8:30 p.m. today.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Only minutes after his team’s 61-59 upset win against Missouri on Saturday, Memphis coach John Calipari was in the hallway between locker rooms in The Pyramid, discussing the outcome with reporters. Calipari gushed about his team’s performance, suggesting his team could go far if it “battled” as a group.

He found time to compliment Missouri as well.

SHREVEPORT, La. — Missouri freshman Xzavie Jackson has added some fuel to help ignite a Missouri-Arkansas border war.

At a media day in the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s Independence Bowl game between the two teams, Jackson criticized the Razorbacks for a lack of team unity. Two players, including All-American offensive tackle Shawn Andrews, have left the team to prepare for pre-NFL draft workouts. Other players have said they are considering leaving school early to declare for the draft.