RECAP: Mizzou captures Cotton Bowl win for first 11-win season since 2014
ARLINGTON, Texas. (KMIZ)
The No. 9 Mizzou football team ended a magical season in fitting fashion, with confetti raining down at AT&T Stadium. The Tigers are the 2023 Cotton Bowl champions, after a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State on Friday night.
With the New Year's Six bowl win, head coach Eli Drinkwitz and company improved to 11-2 on the season. It's the first time MU has reached the 11-win mark since 2014.
"Mizzou, we on the map now, baby," Tiger defensive end Darius Robinson said.
The top-10 win over the Buckeyes was reflective of the journey Coach Drinkwitz's Tiger team took to that moment in Arlington. Through highs and lows, including a 3-0 deficit headed into the fourth quarter, Mizzou found a way.
“You know, we looked up, it’s fourth quarter and we have zero points, but what are you gonna do," quarterback Brady Cook said. "We were driving, we were confident. We still believed in the game plan, still believed in the calls that were being sent in and we believed in each other. So, when we put up 14 in the fourth, it’s no surprise to us.”
When the clocks hit zero AT&T Stadium, chaos ensued, as the Tigers celebrated at last. Guys like Robinson and running back Cody Schrader soaked in their final moments in college football. Others, like Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden basked in the glow of what's the come.
“Man, put some respect on our name," Burden said. "We on top, let’s do it.”
The Cotton Bowl win will provide a big momentum swing going into 2024. Finishing in the top-10 has to be the recruiting pitch of the year for Coach Eli, especially with the College Football Playoff picture expanding to 12 teams.
Tiger football legend Gary Pinkel said he knows that Coach Drinkwitz will continue to raise the bar for this program, even after a win like they saw on Friday night.
“When I took over the program years ago, it's nothing like this in any way. But at the end of the day, that’s what happens. Coach Drink has done a great job of raising it to another level and, guess what, after this, you change your goals after this and you’re gonna go to another level," Pinkel said.
