No. 25 Football Snags 38-21 Comeback Win At No. 23 Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. – A fake punt executed by Luke Bauer changed the game’s momentum and got the Missouri Tigers (6-1, 2-1) started on their way to a 38-21 victory over the #25 Kentucky Wildcats (6-2, 2-2) at Kroger Field. 

It was MU’s first win in Lexington since 2013 and made the Tigers bowl-eligible midway through October.

After Kentucky jumped out to a 14-0 lead, Missouri set up for a punt in Wildcats territory early in the second quarter. Bauer took the snap and moved forward with his kicking steps then pulled up and launched a pass down the left sideline. Freshman speedster Marquis Johnson made a leaping, contested catch at the 12-yard line and carried it into the end zone to get Mizzou on the board.

From that point on, the Tigers outscored the Wildcats 31-7.

Following Bauer’s heroics, Mizzou forced a three-and-out and moved 56 yards to a 23-yard FG by Harrison Mevis to close within 14-10 late in the second quarter. Then, a big 12-yard sack by freshman DB Phillip Roche forced another Wildcats punt, and MU took over at its own 39. 

Cook converted a third-down pass to Theo Wease Jr. to get the ball to the KY 33, ran for seven yards, hit Wease again for 8, then found Wease for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left in the half to give the Tigers the lead, 17-14.

After Kentucky rolled up 150 total yards in the first quarter, MU’s defense held the Wildcats to just 17 in the second frame while gaining 163 of their own.

In the second half, Missouri forced three Kentucky turnovers and sacked quarterback Devin Leary three times. The SEC’s leading rusher, Ray Davis, had 78 yards after the first quarter, and 103 at halftime, but finished with just 128 yards on 20 carries.

On the first play of the second half, Joseph Charleston forced a fumble by Kentucky’s Barion Brown after a short four-yard pass reception and Drey Norwood recovered at the Wildcat 31-yard line. Six plays later, Mevis booted a 31-yard field goal to up MU’s lead to 20-14.

Mizzou forced a 3-and-out and had a chance to add to its lead, but Kentucky’s Tre’vonn Rybka blocked a 46-yard FG attempt by Mevis.

Moments later, Kris Abrams-Draine appeared to intercept a Leary pass after he was pressured by Jayden Jernigan. But upon review, the call was overturned. Then, on 3rd and 14, Leary scrambled out of pressure for a 19-yard gain, and later completed a 31-yard pass down to the MU 2-yard line to TE Jordan Dingle. Two plays later he tossed a four-yard scoring pass to Anthony Brown-Stephens to put Kentucky back on top, 21-20.

It was all Tigers from there.

Cook hit big passes to Mookie Cooper and Brett Norfleet to move back inside the Kentucky 5, then on third down, faked a reverse handoff to Luther Burden III and scooted into the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Cody Schrader, who rushed 20 times for 71 yards, punched in a two-point conversion and the Tigers led 28-21, with 14:13 to play.

Another three-and-out, punctuated by a Darius Robinson 11-yard QB sack, resulted in a short punt that put Mizzou in business at the Kentucky 34-yard line. Three plays later, Schrader went over right tackle for a 19-yard touchdown that widened MU’s lead to 35-21 with 11:07 to play.

Marcus Clarke intercepted Leary on Kentucky’s next possession, and the next time the Wildcats got the ball, Robinson recorded another sack one play before Abrams-Draine snagged an interception. That set up Mevis for a 29-yard field goal that produced Mizzou’s final points.

Cook completed 19-of-29 passes for 167 yards with one interception and one touchdown. He also ran 10 times for 40 yards and a score.

Kentucky gained just 149 total yards in the final three quarters. Robinson led Mizzou’s defensive charge with six tackles, including two sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.

UP NEXT
The Tigers return home next week to host the South Carolina Gamecocks in Mizzou’s 112th Homecoming game on Sat., Oct. 21. Game time at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field will be 2:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on the SEC Network and air on Tiger Radio Network. The two teams play for the Mayor’s Cup.

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