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Missouri Tigers quarterback Brady Cook proved himself as the ultimate “football guy” on Saturday when he checked himself out of the hospital in order to return and lead his team to victory over the Auburn Tigers.
Cook left the game mid-way through the second quarter after suffering an apparent ankle injury and hobbling off the field. Backup Drew Pyne then came in, but Auburn gained momentum and took a 17-3 lead in the third quarter.
Pyne was able to lead Missouri on a drive to cut the lead to 17-6, but that’s when a heroic Cook returned.
He led Missouri on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives, including a 95-yard drive that gave the hosts a 21-17 lead with under a minute remaining.
MUST WATCH TAPE: #Mizzou quarterback Brady Cook (@qbcook12) came back in the second half, after getting injured on the first drive of the game.
He led two touchdown drives. One of them a game-winning, 95-yard effort.Heckuva comeback and (rightfully so) a lot of emotion… pic.twitter.com/tEAqGmVWCY
— Nathalie Jones (@NathalieABC17) October 19, 2024
The victory keeps Missouri alive for a potential College Football Playoff spot, and with this being Cook’s senior year, he told his team that nothing was going to keep him from returning.
I’ve only got 2 1/2 games left on Faurot Field, I’m not missing this one in the hospital,” Cook told his teammates.
Saturday was also Homecoming for Missouri, which encouraged fans to show up early with cheap beer ahead of the 11 a.m. local start.
Cook, a St. Louis native, said he always dreamt of starting for the Tigers as a kid. So it’s fitting that he gets a moment like this in his final college season.