St. Louis ? Illinois couldn’t stop Brad Smith forever.

Darius Outlaw caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Smith with 4:12 remaining to cap Missouri’s longest drive of the game, and a defense that allowed nearly 30 points last year held on at the end of a 22-15 victory Saturday over Illinois.

Smith was 12-for-18 for 101 yards and two touchdowns and added 66 yards rushing on 17 carries plus a two-point conversion run. In the opener against Illinois last year, Smith had 290 yards total offense in his first career start as a redshirt freshman.

Coach Gary Pinkel was perturbed at Smith for throwing an incomplete pass that stopped the clock late in the game, giving Illinois more time on its last-gasp drive. But the team knows his value.

“They told me they were going to put it in my hands, and that’s the way I like to have it,” Smith said. “That last drive we kind of put it together a little bit.”

Illinois paid extra attention to Smith all day.

“He’s a great, great competitor, a great player,” Illinois coach Ron Turner said. “You’re not going to shut a guy like that down, you’ve just got to minimize the big plays.”

Freshman Ibrahim Halsey had 139 yards on 20 carries, a school record for a season opener for Illinois. Jon Beutjer was 31-for-45 for 281 yards and a touchdown.

But the team lacked the finishing touch.

Missouri's J.D. McCoy celebrates after scoring on a pass from quarterback Brad Smith against Illinois. The Tigers held off the Illini, 22-15, in the season opener for both teams Saturday in St. Louis. In the background are Missouri's Thomson Omboga (87) and Illinois' Christain Mortom.

“We get in the red zone, we need to put it in the end zone,” Beutjer said. “There’s no excuse not to. We want touchdowns.”

Illinois outgained Missouri 422-224, but missed a chance to tie it late, running out of downs at the Missouri 23 when Beutjer’s pass went in and out of Melvin Bryant’s arms at the 5. Missouri has five first-time starters on defense.

“We’ve certainly got to get better, but we hung in there,” coach Gary Pinkel said. “The last drive, you just try to keep the ball in front of you.”

Missouri’s defense had another big play, stopping Illinois on a 4th-and-one at the Tigers 15 at the start of the fourth quarter when Russ Bell stuffed Halsey for no gain.

“I just had a feeling it was coming my way,” Bell said. “I’ll remember that forever.”

Missouri also beat Illinois, 33-20, last year in the neutral-site opener. Both teams were 5-7 last year.

Missouri struggled on offense most of the day. But the Tigers saved their best for late in the game with a 13-play, 79-yard game-winning drive. Smith added a two-point conversion run from an unusual swinging gate alignment, winning a foot race to the right corner of the end zone.