COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri Tigers were able to escape with a win over the Florida Gators at home on Saturday.
After Harrison Mevis field-goal put Mizzou up 3-0 on their opening drive, Florida responded with a touchdown after Blue Valley North alum Graham Mertz’s eight-yard pass to Eugene Wilson.
Mizzou regained the lead at the beginning of the second quarter after Cody Schraeder scored on a 42-yard touchdown run.
The Tiger took a 13-7 lead into the half.
But Florida opened the second half strong, scoring a Mertz 37-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Etienne to go up 14-13.
Mizzou marched right back down the field, taking the lead back on a Brady Cook one-yard touchdown run.
The Tigers looked to be taking control in the fourth after Cook found Theo Wease Jr. on a 77-yard touchdown to build a two-score lead.
Florida was not phased.
The Gators scored the very next drive on an Etienne nine-yard touchdown run. They forced a Mizzou punt, and a Trey Smack 35-yard field goal gave the Gators a 31-30 lead with 1:36 left.
Mizzou was put in a precarious position on their last possession, as they had to convert a 4th & 17 at their own 33 with under a minute left.
Cook found Luther Burden III for a 27-yard gain to the Gators 40. He then connected with Mookie Cooper on a 16-yard pass, that eventually set up a Harrison Mevis 30-yard field goal to win the game.
Cook went 20/34 with 331 yards and one touchdown. Schraeder finished with 23 carries for 148 yards (6.4 ypc) and a score. Burden III continued his stellar play with nine receptions for 158 yards.
Mertz finished 14/21 with 183 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Mizzou moves to 9-2 overall and 5-2 in the conference. They will go on the road to face Arkansas at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
