Missouri closes strong to defeat shorthanded Ohio State in Cotton Bowl

ARLINGTON, Texas — A reporter called them "The Big Three" in the lead up to the game.

And boy, did the St. Louis trio prove that nickname right.

When Missouri seemed down and out, it turned to running back Cody Schrader, quarterback Brady Cook and wide receiver Luther Burden III. They came to the rescue.

No. 9 Mizzou, at the end of its spellbinding season, is the Cotton Bowl champion.

The Tigers claimed the New Year’s Six Bowl win with a 14-3 victory over No. 7 Ohio State on Friday evening in AT&T Stadium. 

For a while, there were more punts than completed passes. Mizzou won’t care one bit, as it finished the year 11-2 and has its first bowl victory of the Eli Drinkwitz era.

Here are three instant takeaways as the Tigers knocked off the Buckeyes:

Cody Schrader's swan song

Nothing was working. Indeed, nothing the Tigers tried looked remotely close to working.

That is until speedy freshman wide receiver Marquis Johnson, playing in his home state, took off downfield late in the third quarter and hauled in Brady Cook’s pass for a 49-yard gain to the Ohio State 15-yard line.

Prior to that point, Missouri had managed just 40 passing yards. The Tigers had not yet visited the red zone.

An illegal substitution took Missouri to the 10. A false start sent them right back. Brady Cook hustled for 8 yards, bringing an end to the third quarter.

And then, the hero of so many Mizzou wins in this marvelous run to the New Year's Six, Schrader, did what he so often does.

The running back tore right up the middle, took a couple hits from the Buckeyes who had beat MU's offense blue all evening, but stayed upright before falling across the goal line.

Tigers 7, Buckeyes 3. Points, at last.

Of course, it was Schrader, who was playing in his final game of college football and broke the Tigers' single-season rushing record.

Gutsy fourth-down call seals it

It was fourth-and-1 on the edge of the red zone with 6:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. Drinkwitz decided on a timeout.

Harrison Mevis joined the huddle. Surely, a touchdown lead would suit Missouri. But with a minute remaining until the all-important do-or-die play, the kicker walked back to the sideline. 

Missouri was going for gold. Cook didn’t disappoint.

He faked a pitch left — the second time he’d done that on fourth down on the day — turned his attention to the middle of the field and took off running. He made it.

Schrader took a carry 11 yards left. He scampered three more on the next play.

Then, the St. Louis QB-receiver duo connected.

Cook found Burden from 7 yards — nearly doubling Burden’s receiving yards for the day — at the back edge of the end zone.

Burden spiked the football. The Tigers had a two-score lead.

The day was done.

DCs dial up the heat

The turnaround masked a lot of offensive inefficiencies.

Whatever the Cotton Bowl budgeted for first-half, post-touchdown fireworks, they overspent. 

By the end of the first quarter, the teams had combined for 104 total yards of offense and 27 passing yards. The only points on the board were courtesy of a 44-yard field goal from Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding.

Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker was awarded a contract extension, the team announced about a week ago. He celebrated by bringing the heat.

Joe Moore III recovered a fumble with three minutes remaining in the game after safety Daylan Carnell sacked backup QB Lincoln Kienholz. If it wasn't over before, it was then.

Missouri defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. broke the Ohio State line on the second play of the second quarter and forced a fumble inside the OSU 10-yard line from Devin Brown, who was starting his first game at quarterback. Kienholz, a true freshman, entered the game early in the second quarter as Brown took the next snap, but eventually limped off to the locker room.

Missouri finished the half with 112 yards of offense, 28 of which came through the air. Ohio State managed just 76 yards of total offense as Mizzou racked up eight — yes, eight —  first-half tackles for loss.