Field Level Media
Sep 9, 2023
Brady Cook completed 14-of-19 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as Missouri held off Middle Tennessee 23-19 on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.
Nathaniel Peat caught a 49-yard touchdown pass and rushed for 51 yards for Missouri (2-0).
Luther Burden caught eight passes for 117 yards for the Tigers and Cody Schrader gained 84 yards on 23 carries.
Nicholas Vattiato completed 22-of-36 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns for Middle Tennessee (0-2).
Missouri broke the scoreless tie on its third possession of the game. Peat rushed for 45 yards on five carries and Harrison Mevis hit a 38-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Middle Tennessee marched 86 yards on 14 plays to move ahead 7-3 in the second quarter. Frank Peasant's 25-yard run was the key play, and Vattiato's 3-yard touchdown pass to Kalani Norris capped the drive.
The Tigers responded with a 16-play, 71-yard drive to take a 10-7 lead with 24 seconds left in the half. Cook got the possession rolling with a 9-yard pass to Burden, then he capped it with a 1-yard quarterback sneak.
The Blue Raiders opened the second half by moving 68 yards to set up Zeke Rankin's game-tying 25-yard field goal.
Cook hit Burden on a 44-yard pass play to propel Missouri to an 80-yard drive. Theo Wease caught a 5-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers up 16-10, but Mevis missed the extra point.
Peat capped an 82-yard drive with a 49-yard touchdown catch and run as the Tigers expanded their lead to 23-10 with 14:53 left to play.
Middle Tennessee cut its deficit to 23-17 with an 84-yard drive, capped by Vattiato's 13-yard touchdown pass to Justin Olson.
The Blue Raiders got two points closer when Sam Brumfield hit Cook and forced his fumble the through the Missouri end zone for a safety with 6:07 left to play.
Middle Tennessee got the ball with the chance to take the lead, but the Blue Raiders turned the ball over on downs after reaching the Missouri 42.
--Field Level Media