Cook returns from injury, leads Mizzou to come-from-behind win on homecoming
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
After exiting Saturday's game due to a lower body injury, Brady Cook stared down an 11-point deficit when he was cleared to return to the field. Mizzou's starting quarterback showed his toughness in that moment, leading MU on two touchdown drives to overcome Auburn on homecoming weekend.
"For all the criticism that young man takes, #12 sure would die on that field for everybody. For him to be out there and put his body on the line for us is incredible and it ought to be inspiring to everybody that watched it today," head coach Eli Drinkwitz said after the game.
No. 19 Mizzou (6-1) completed a fourth quarter comeback with a 17-play, 95-yard drive, culminating in a four-yard touchdown run from Jamal Roberts that propelled the home team to a 21-17 win over Auburn (2-5).
MU kept its streak of homecoming magic alive with Saturday's win, improving its record to 5-0 all-time in homecoming games under Drinkwitz.
However, the beginning of this contest was far from cheerful. Cook suffered an ankle injury on Mizzou's opening drive that forced him to leave the game and visit the hospital for an MRI. After that, neither team generated much offensive production in the first half. Mizzou settled for a 51-yard field goal from kicker Blake Craig on the team's first possession to take a 3-0 lead, but those three points were all MU mustered in the first 30 minutes. The Tigers posted just 133 total yards of offense in the first half with backup quarterback Drew Pyne under-center and suffered from some costly miscues, including two missed field goals and a fumble.
Mizzou's defense stood tall in the face of adversity, holding Auburn to just three points in the opening half. Corey Batoon's unit held the visitors to 128 total yards in the first half, and Toriano Pride Jr. recovered a fumble to stall an Auburn possession that reached MU's side of the field.
However, Auburn answered with a game-changing response when they exited the locker room for the second half. Quarterback Payton Thorne led his team on a 6-play, 75-yard drive to kick off the third quarter, highlighted by a 47-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cam Coleman that gave Auburn its first lead 10-3. Then, the visitors recovered a muffed punt in the end zone to quickly extend Auburn's advantage to 14 points.
Just when the scene at Faurot Field was at its most bleak, Cook ran back out onto the field with just seconds left until the fourth quarter, driven to lead his team back from a 17-6 deficit.
Cook's third play after returning to action resulted in a 78-yard catch-and-run from wide receiver Mookie Cooper to put MU inside the five-yard-line. Two plays later, Auburn's lead shrunk to just three points. Running back Marcus Carroll finished off the drive with a short touchdown run to cut the deficit to 17-12, and Cook called his own number on a two-point conversion attempt to make it a three-point game.
Then, with under five minutes left on the clock, Cook and his offense converted three third downs and one fourth down attempt to eventually the score the game-winning touchdown. Cook completed 11 of his 22 passes in the contest for 194 passing yards.
Up next - Mizzou travels to Tuscaloosa to face No. 7 Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 26. This contest's official kickoff time has not been announced.
