The Mizzou Tigers avoided the upset at Faurot Field on Saturday afternoon, coming from behind to defeat the Auburn Tigers 21-17 at Homecoming.  Mizzou were able to take the lead with 46 seconds remaining, when Jamal Roberts followed his blockers into the end zone from four yards out.

Both Tigers struggled to find offense in the first half, with Mizzou losing Brady Cook to a non-contact injury on the first drive. The Tigers were first on the board with a 51-yard field goal from Blake Craig in the first quarter, followed by Auburn’s field goal in the second quarter to knot the game up before halftime. Auburn scored their two touchdowns in the third quarter, first by way of a 47-yard pass from Payton Thorne to Cam Coleman, and then a muffed punt by Luther Burden the Third recovered in the endzone by Antonio Kite. All Mizzou could net that quarter was another field goal.

Mizzou’s offense received a boost when Cook returned to the sidelines and re-entered the game, providing a pivotal two-point conversion after Marcus Carroll scored from two yards out to start the fourth quarter. After exchanging punts in the fourth quarter, Mizzou would get their go-ahead score at the end of a 17-play, 95-yard drive. Mizzou’s defense forced Auburn to turn the ball over on downs to secure the win at Mizzou’s 113th Homecoming.

Cook completed 11 of 22 passes for 194 yards, but was sacked four times. The early injury resulted in Drew Pyne steering the Tigers for much of the game, but he struggled to gain yardage as he went just 10-for-21 totaling 78 yards in the air. The Tigers totaled 272 yards in the air and 125 on the ground, against Auburn’s 146 yards on the ground and 176 in the air.

The win secured bowl eligibility for Mizzou as the Tigers are now 6-1, with a 2-1 mark in the SEC. This week’s AP Poll has Mizzou down two spots to 21. Next week the Tigers visit Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa to face 15th-ranked Alabama. Kickoff will be at 2:30 p.m., with pregame at 12:30 on KMMO.