SAN ANTONIO – In what could be the final game of his collegiate career, Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin led the Tigers to a 30-23 comeback win over Northwestern on Monday night in the Alamo Bowl.
Chase Daniel threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Maclin in overtime to give Missouri the lead and its defense then held the Wildcats on four downs to cap the win.
Maclin, a first-team All-America as an all-purpose player, returned a punt 75 yards for a score that tied the game at 10 in the second quarter.
Maclin’s return added to his lead in NCAA all-purpose yards this season (2,827) and leaves him fifth all time behind Reggie Bush’s 2,890.
The dazzling play by the former Kirkwood High School star changed the momentum of the game just before halftime. He split the first wave of Northwestern’s coverage team than dashed 75 years untouched.
It was his first punt return for a touchdown this season and the third of his two-year collegiate career. He is Missouri’s all-time leader in punt return TDs.
Maclin closed with 181 total yards including the 75 yard punt return, 67 yards in other return yardage, five receptions for 27 yards and two rushes for 16 yards.
Maclin’s two touchdowns marked the fourth game of the season in which the Tiger wide receiver scored two or more touchdowns in a single game. The overtime TD was his 13th receiving touchdown of the year, three more than the previous Missouri single season high of 10 by Sean Coffey in 2004.
Maclin finishes his season, and possibly his career, with 102 receptions, breaking the previous single season reception record of 84 set by Martin Rucker in 2007. In addition, Maclin set the single season receiving yard mark with 1,260 yards, topping 1,210 by Victor Bailey in 1992.
Several 2009 NFL mock drafts have Maclin being selected in the first half of the first round. After losing his first season at Mizzou to a knee injury, Maclin will most likely enter his name into the draft, and be coveted for his all-around offensive and return skills.
