COLUMBIA, Mo. — Auburn football, looking to upset the odds, squandered a 14-point lead in the second half and fell short against No. 16 Missouri, losing 21-17 on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Auburn, now 2-5 with an 0-4 record in SEC play, was unable to secure its first conference victory. Missouri improved to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC.
Quarterback Brady Cook played a crucial role in Mizzou’s comeback after leaving the game in the first quarter due to injury. He returned late in the third quarter to lead two touchdown drives, culminating in Jamal Roberts’ go-ahead score with just 46 seconds left on the clock.
With this loss, Auburn will seek to regroup as they prepare to face Kentucky next week.
In-game updates:
The final score was Missouri 21, Auburn 17.
2:37 p.m.: Auburn turned it over on downs, sealing Missouri’s comeback victory.
2:30 p.m.: Missouri scored the winning touchdown with a four-yard run from Jamal Roberts, making it 21-17 with 46 seconds remaining.
2:26 p.m.: A key 16-yard pass from Cook to Luther Burden III put Mizzou in field goal range with 1:29 left.
2:24 p.m.: Mizzou faced a crucial fourth-and-5 situation from the Auburn 41 with 1:34 on the clock.
2:15 p.m.: Cook scrambled for 14 yards on third-and-7, moving Mizzou to its own 36 as the game entered the final minutes.
Auburn had previously built a strong lead, scoring a rushing touchdown from Marcus Carroll early in the fourth quarter to extend their advantage to 17-6.
At halftime, the score was tied 3-3 after a lackluster first half, but Auburn began to find their rhythm in the second half. Despite a promising start, the team could not hold onto their lead as Mizzou mounted a fierce comeback late in the game.
With this defeat, Auburn continues to search for answers in their SEC campaign as they head into an important matchup against Kentucky next week.