Drew Lock helps Missouri knock off South Carolina, 24-10

COLUMBIA, Mo. _ “Locktoberfest” got off to a victorious start as Missouri got back to its winning ways Saturday against South Carolina at Memorial Stadium.tmpplchld The Tigers’ true freshman quarterback, Drew Lock, avoided back-breaking mistakes, while the Gamecocks’ true freshman quarterback, Lorenzo Nunez, threw three third-quarter interceptions.tmpplchld Eventually, Missouri cashed in on the repeated mistakes in a 24-10 win during the first game in SEC history to feature a pair of true freshmen starting quarterbacks.tmpplchld Starting in place of suspended junior quarterback Maty Mauk, Lock, a Lee’s Summit graduate and the reigning Simone Award winner, finished 21-of-28 for 136 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in his first career start.tmpplchld Lock helped power Missouri, 4-1 and 1-1 in the SEC, to a one-touchdown lead at halftime, but give the defense credit for finishing off South Carolina in the second half.tmpplchld The Tigers picked off Nunez three times in the third quarter and shut out the Gamecocks, 2-3 and 0-3 in conference, after halftime.tmpplchld Missouri’s much-maligned run game also had a hand in delivering the final blow, grinding away the final 6:42 on a dominating victory march in front of 66,751.tmpplchld Redshirt freshman Walter Brady interception near midfield and 22-yard return after Nunez panicked with safety Ian Simon coming on a blitz set up the Tigers’ offense with a short field at the Gamecocks’ 31.tmpplchld Seven plays later, with a jumbo package that featured an extra offensive linemen and three tight ends on the field, sophomore Ish Witter rolled into the end zone from 1 yard out for the only score in the second half.tmpplchld It was the first rushing score by a running back this season.tmpplchld Witter finished with 17 carries for a career-high 98 yards, powering a rushing attack that generated a season-best 163 yards. Senior Russell Hansbrough added 11 carries for 43 yards.tmpplchld South Carolina nearly cut Missouri’s lead in half midway through the fourth quarter on a 25-yard catch and run by tailback Rod Talley.tmpplchld However, Pharoh Cooper was flagged for offensive pass interference after picking Tigers linebacker Michael Scherer, who was in coverage Talley slipped up the middle from the backfield.tmpplchld The Gamecocks, who finished with 298 total yards and were five of 13 on third down, went in reverse from there and were forced to punt.tmpplchld The Tigers never gave the ball back.tmpplchld Two years ago, fans dubbed Mauk’s four-game cameo as the starting quarterback, “Mauktober.”tmpplchld Lock’s debut at starting quarterback after Mauk was suspended Tuesday for at least one game along with reserve left tackle Malik Cuellar has been dubbed “Locktoberfest.”tmpplchld Missouri only managed 299 yards, playing conservatively in the second half, but did go 9-of-16 on third down.tmpplchld After starting the game with a three-and-out, Lock led Missouri on an 11-play, 51-yard touchdown march.tmpplchld He converted a fourth-and-3 with a 9-yard run before hooking up with sophomore Nate Brown on an 8-yard touchdown four plays later.tmpplchld Up 7-3 after a 34-yard field by South Carolina’s Elliott Fry, Lock led to the Gamecocks’ 2-yard line, but the Tigers settled for a 21-yard field by senior Andrew Baggett.tmpplchld On the ensuing drive, freshman defensive tackle Terry Beckner Jr. was ejected for targeting on a late hit against Nunez.tmpplchld Two plays later, South Carolina tied the game on a fluke 8-yard touchdown from Nunez to senior running back Shon Carson.tmpplchld Simon nearly sacked Nunez, who floated a ball toward Pharoh Cooper off his back foot.tmpplchld Junior cornerback Aarion Penton leaped in front of Cooper and nearly intercepted the pass, which instead was batted back to Carson.tmpplchld Carson caught the ball at the Missouri 5-yard line and plunged in, knotting the game at 10-10.tmpplchld Lock and company answered with an 11-play, 65-yard drive, grabbing the halftime lead on a 9-yard laser from Lock to Brown _ just over the head of South Carolina’s T.J. Gurley, who had no chance to defend a perfectly thrown pass.tmpplchld Fry missed a 44-yard field goal late in the first half that could have trimmed the Tigers’ lead.tmpplchld Lock completed 16 of 19 passes for 108 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the opening half.tmpplchld ___tmpplchld (c)2015 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.)tmpplchld Visit The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) at www.kansascity.comtmpplchld Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.tmpplchld