The Missouri Tigers stormed back from a 17-6 deficit late in the 3rd quarter on Saturday against the Auburn Tigers to grab a 21-17 homecoming victory. Tigers quarterback Brady Cook led two fourth quarter touchdown drives after returning from an ankle injury he sustained in the first quarter. With backup quarterback Drew Pyne in the game, Mizzou struggled to get anything going offensively while Auburn capitalized on some Missouri miscues. Tigers star wide receiver Luther Burden III muffed a punt that was returned for an Auburn touchdown to push the deficit to 17-6. When Cook returned to the game, the Missouri offense began to hit some explosive plays. Cook hit wide receiver Mookie Cooper for a 78-yard pass on 3rd down and 10 that led to a Missouri touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-14. Missouri got the ball back with 4 minutes to go in the game, still trailing 17-14. Missouri then went on a 17-play drive that included a 4th down conversion to Luther Burden III. Missouri capped off the drive with a rushing touchdown from Jamal Roberts to take a 21-17 lead with less than a minute to go. Missouri moved to 6-1 (2-1 in the SEC) with the victory.
With Missouri pulling off the comeback win, they kept their college football playoff hopes alive for at least another week. Missouri fell to no. 21 in the AP Poll and no. 17 in the AFCA Coaches Poll after the narrow victory. Missouri will face its biggest test of the season as it heads on the road to face no. 15 Alabama. Alabama has struggled more than usual in its first season following Nick Saban’s departure. Alabama will come into this game having lost two of its last three games to no. 11 Tennessee and no.25 Vanderbilt (who Missouri defeated earlier this season). If Missouri wants to keep its playoff hopes realistic, it will need to defeat the Crimson Tide for the first time since 1978. After a hard-fought victory over an Auburn team that has given Mizzou problems ever since it joined the SEC, the Tigers confidence should be at an all-time high.