October 19, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook (12) is tackled by Auburn Tigers nose tackle Jalen McLeod (35) during the first half at Pau Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Brady Cook shook off an ankle injury and passed for 194 yards during No. 19 Missouri’s 21-17 home win over Auburn on Saturday in Columbia, Missouri.
Cook helped Missouri (6-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) erase a 14-point deficit after suffering an injury early in the first quarter and sitting out until late in the third.
Down 17-14, Missouri marched 95 yards in 17 plays and scored the winning touchdown on Jamal Roberts’ 4-yard run with 46 seconds left.
Payton Thorne was 17 of 29 for 176 yards and a touchdown for Auburn (2-5, 0-4).
Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter totaled 85 yards rushing and receiving. Towns McGough kicked a 32-yard field goal but also missed from 30 yards.
Cook was injured on Missouri’s first possession. Drew Pyne replaced him and completed 10 of 21 passes for 78 yards.
Missouri State’s leading rusher, Nate Noel, suffered a foot injury in the first half. He returned briefly in the second half, but running back Marcus Carroll took the lead and rushed 40 yards for a touchdown.
Blake Craig made field goals of 51 and 38 yards for Missouri, but missed attempts of 49 and 55 yards.
Missouri took a 3-0 lead on its first possession, going 41 yards to set up Craig’s 51-yard field goal.
Auburn tied the score at 3-3 late in the second quarter with McGough’s 32-yard field goal. It capped a 64-yard drive highlighted by Thorne’s 18-yard pass to Hunter.
Thorne’s 47-yard touchdown pass to Cam Coleman gave Auburn a 10-3 lead with 2:26 left in the third quarter.
Auburn increased its lead to 17-3 when Antonio Kite recovered Luther Burden III’s muffed punt in the end zone.
Craig’s 38-yard field goal, set up by a 20-yard Carroll run, cut Missouri’s deficit to 17-6 with 11:08 left in the third quarter.
After McGough missed a 30-yard field goal, Cook returned to the field and hit a 78-yard pass to Mookie Cooper to set up Carroll’s 2-yard TD run with three seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Cook’s two-point conversion run cut Auburn’s lead to 17-14.
Missouri started its final offensive possession at its own 5-yard line. Cook kept it in with a 14-yard scramble, then hit a key fourth-down completion to Burden and passed to Theo Wease on third down to set up the win for Roberts.
–Field level media
