In a nail-biting SEC opener on Faurot Field, the No. 7-ranked Missouri football team overcame a series of inefficiencies and mistakes to secure a 30-27 victory against Vanderbilt in double overtime. The win provided a significant sigh of relief for head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his team.
The game kicked off with both teams struggling to find their rhythm, but momentum shifted during overtime. In the first overtime period, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia connected with Gabe Fisher for a touchdown, quickly met with a response from Missouri’s Brady Cook, who hit Luther Burden III for a touchdown on the Tigers’ very first play.
As the game progressed into the second overtime, Missouri’s offense encountered difficulties, leading kicker Blake Craig to step in and successfully convert a 38-yard field goal. The pressure then fell on Vanderbilt, whose kicker Brock Taylor missed a crucial 31-yard attempt that would have kept the game alive, allowing Missouri to walk away with the win.
The match highlighted Missouri’s offensive shortcomings, particularly in the red zone. Blake Craig had two attempts that resulted in a missed field goal and a successful 23-yarder during a second-quarter visit to the red zone, ultimately resulting in just three points. In the fourth quarter, Craig missed additional attempts from 40 and 47 yards that could have pushed Missouri into the lead. Vanderbilt also squandered opportunities, notably missing a 50-yard field goal in the dying moments of regulation.
Despite the offensive struggles, Cook showcased his abilities, completing 23 of 37 passes for 226 yards. He was unable to consistently provide support in the run game, as the offensive line struggled to establish a solid front. Vanderbilt’s Pavia performed well, completing 11 of 19 passes for 157 yards.
The standout performance came from Missouri running back Nate Noel, who recorded a remarkable 199 yards, including a 64-yard breakout run in the third quarter that set the stage for a touchdown from Marcus Carroll.
As the game progressed, an ill-timed decision by Missouri to run a play on fourth-and-3 in the second half led to a sack for Cook, and Vanderbilt was able to capitalize, ultimately scoring a 57-yard field goal as time expired, closing the first half 13-10 in Vanderbilt’s favor.
The game’s ups and downs continued, with neither team asserting dominance until the overtime periods, where Missouri finally triumphed. The sequence of events reflected the growing pains of the Missouri squad as they navigate SEC play, emphasizing areas in need of improvement moving forward.
Missouri now holds a series advantage of 11-4-1 over Vanderbilt, with their most recent matchup resulting in a 38-21 win for the Tigers in late September of the previous year. The victory against Vanderbilt will be a crucial building block as they advance in their 2024 season schedule.