The Missouri Tigers closed out their football season in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., securing their second consecutive double-digit win season with a victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes. 

With five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Iowa took a 24-14 lead with a field goal that capped off its fourth scoring drive. Trailing by 10 and leading an offense that had only mustered two touchdowns, the Tigers were in a dire position. 

Fortunately for head coach Eli Drinkwitz and company, quarterback Brady Cook — as he has done so many times before — refused to go down without a fight.

Cook was the offensive star of the game for the Tigers, starting the game 9-for-10 through the air for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Cook was also Missouri’s leading rusher, carrying 14 times for 54 yards.

In the absence of star receiver Luther Burden III, who opted out in preparation for the NFL draft, Marquis Johnson had a career day. Johnson caught seven passes for 122 yards and a touchdown, with his biggest highlight coming on a 44-yard reception down the middle of the field with five minutes left in the third quarter. 

Theo Wease Jr. was once again a reliable target for Cook, pulling in five targets for 75 yards and Missouri’s first touchdown before being ruled out with an upper-body injury.

Iowa’s offense got off to a fast start, lacing together an eight-play, 70-yard drive to open the scoring with a 7-0 lead after forcing Missouri to punt on its first drive. Quarterback Brendan Sullivan was the Hawkeyes’ offensive catalyst in the first half, completing eight of his nine pass attempts for 88 yards and a touchdown.

 Sullivan, along with running backs Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson, tacked on 107 rushing yards in the first half to apply pressure on the Tigers. A kickoff return touchdown from Kaden Wetjen put the Hawkeyes up 14-7, only compounding the defensive issues for Missouri. 

Missouri wasn’t the only team missing its offensive superstar. Iowa was without running back Kaleb Johnson, who ranked in the top seven nationwide for both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. In spite of his opting out, Iowa’s rushing efficiency was a focal point of its productive first half, ending with the Hawkeyes leading 21-14. 

The Tigers’ defense stepped up in the second half. In the first half, Missouri allowed three touchdowns — in the second, they allowed three points. 

Cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. came up with the game’s only turnover, intercepting Sullivan on a third down when the quarterback tried to force the ball to a heavily covered Reece Vander Zee for the conversion. That play led to a game-tying field goal seven plays later. 

The interception came on the Hawkeyes’ first drive of the fourth quarter, and Iowa would not score for the rest of the game. 

Freshman Blake Craig was a star on special teams for the Tigers. Craig entered the game with a 66% field goal success rate on the season, but he was perfect in Nashville. Craig’s first field goal was a 51-yard attempt to tie the game with ten minutes left in the fourth quarter. He went back out for a steeper challenge five minutes later: a 56-yard field goal attempt to take a three point lead. The kick was right down the middle, giving Missouri a 27-24 point lead that it would not give up. 

Iowa had a chance to tie or win the game, taking the ball back with 1:54 remaining while trailing by three. With the Hawkeyes in a fourth-and-1 situation on Missouri’s 46-yard line, they chose to sneak it with Sullivan. However, linebacker Corey Flagg came leaping over the offensive line to stop the quarterback and seal Missouri’s win. 

The victory marked Missouri’s second straight season with a bowl win, the first milestone since the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Even though the Tigers will be losing players like Cook, Wease and Burden to graduation and the NFL draft, the Music City Bowl victory ensures that the program is on a high trajectory. 

Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com

Copyedited by Hannah Taylor | htaylor@themaneater.com 

Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com