Mizzou's Baggett kicks six field goals in NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
CARSON, Calif. -- Missouri kicker Andrew Baggett hopes he's taken his first step into professional football at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
Baggett kicked six field goals, including a 22-yarder early in the fourth quarter to lift the National team to an 18-17 victory over the American in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl on Saturday.
"This isn't an audition. This isn't (an All-Star game with guys) saying, 'Hey, look at me. Don't push me. I don't want to get hurt,'" Baggett said. "You're out here getting ready for an NFL camp. If you're a minute late for a meeting, coach is there saying, 'That would have cost you $5,000.'"
Baggett's game-winner with 13:48 remaining came three plays after Kyle Kragen of California recovered Travis Wilson's fumble on the American 10-yard line. For Kragen, it was his third sack of the game.
Mike Martz, who coached the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl after the 2001 season, said his National team coaching staff made it a point to showcase how things are done at the professional level.
"A lot of these players will have opportunities in camp whether they're drafted or as free agents," Martz said. "What we tried to afford them is the opportunity to see how a week of NFL practice is run. We tried to teach them the skills they'll need if they go to a team. How to handle everything. How to go to a meeting. Where to sit in a meeting."
Baggett, who kicked four years at Missouri and finished just eight points shy of the school scoring record, also connected from 36, 50, 42, 39 and 24 yards before kicking the winner. He missed a 54-yard attempt.
"Games like this don't usually happen," Baggett said. "It's cool to get a shot at field goals like that. How I did is not for me to decide. Hopefully, some people (in the NFL) thought I did enough."
Stephen Rivers, the younger brother of San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Mickens of Washington with 2:31 left in the first half, giving the American team a 17-6 lead.
"This game teaches you a lot," Rivers said. "It's a nice week. You don't have to worry about school. It's all football for a week. It gives you a glimpse of how it might be if you were to make it."
Rivers, who threw for 1,394 yards and nine touchdowns at Northwestern State in 2015, completed 11 of 14 passes for 97 yards and the TD.
TCU's Trevor Boykin, suspended from the Horned Frogs' Alamo Bowl appearance after being arrested because of a bar fight, completed 1 of 3 passes with an interception, playing in the first quarter.
San Jose State's Jacobi Green scored the game's first touchdown on a 3-yard run, giving American a 10-0 lead with 6:00 left in the first quarter.
Ammon Olsen of Southern Utah completed 7-of-13 passes for 71 yards as the National's leading passer.
Travis Calton Greene of Georgia Southern was the game's leading rusher with 53 yards on 13 carries.
Max McCaffrey of Duke, brother of Christian McCaffrey and son of former NFL wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, caught 2 passes for 29 yards.
Zach Matics of Appalachian State kicked a 36-yard field goal to open the scoring for American.
Martz coached the National team for the second year in a row, while the American team was led by former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.
