‘A Dirty, Hard-Working Brotherhood’: How Mizzou's Cotton-Bowl Victory Helped Define Its Storybook Season

The Mizzou Tigers capped off a season that will go down in the program’s history books, completing its first New Year’s Six bowl win in the College Football Playoff era.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Mizzou Tigers realized that their year-long journey has finally come to its conclusion.

Leading Ohio State 14-3 with 1:27 left in the fourth quarter, sophomore receiver Luther Burden III broke through the Buckeyes defense for a 20-yard gain to their 11, putting the last exclamation point on a soon-to-be Cotton Bowl win. 

The subsequent celebration started before the clock even hit zero, as Cody Schrader stepped off the field and embraced head coach Eli Drinkwitz, who later got an ice-cold Gatorade bath from his players. 

Once the final snap was taken, quarterback Brady Cook took off his helmet and headed to the middle of the field, capping an historic season of Mizzou football. It was over, and the Tigers were Cotton Bowl Champions. 

The left side of AT&T Stadium, filled with yellow and black, continued to cheer, the sounds ricocheting off the empty seats in other sections. The fans hadn't celebrated like this in nearly a decade. Throughout most of it this moment seemed unthinkable, yet here it was a reality. 

Players, families and friends surrounded the Cotton Bowl Championship celebration, where Drinkwitz hoisted the Field Scovell trophy above his shoulders alongside offensive and defensive MVP's Cook and Johnny Walker Jr., as confetti poured and fireworks banged and lit up the stadium.

When asked on his feelings about being predicted to finish sixth in the division in 2023, Drinkwitz delivered a message ripped straight out of a movie:

“Just so proud of our team,” he said, taking full advantage of the moment. “I think tonight was a testament to a wilderness brotherhood. A bunch of guys that have fought through adversity their entire lives and career. We’re not blue bloods. We’re a dirty, hard-working brotherhood that loves each other and fights for each other."

"We scored 14 points in the fourth quarter. We put our fists up. We said, ‘We’re not giving in; we’re faster, stronger, tougher than you in the fourth quarter. And we got an elite edge. And we’re not gonna be denied. And now we’re the Cotton Bowl champs.’ M-I-Z!"

Each person who played a role in Mizzou's season spent time with the trophy, soaking in the moment that paid off all the hard work and time spent to get to that point. It all meant something different to each of them, but was special regardless of the specific journey; whether it be Cody Schrader's road from walk-on to SEC rushing leader, or Cook's redemption from a rocky sophomore season. 

For Schrader and Darius Robinson, amongst many others, it was the the final game of their collegiate careers. Both players could be seen reflecting as the celebrations continued, letting all of the emotions flow for the last night before their next journey in life began. 

For Drinkwitz, he finally proved what he set out to accomplish before the season. By taking a step back from play-calling, he focused on becoming the leader his team desperately needed, finally bringing winning results to the program once again. Mizzou finished as a top-10 team in the country, shocking many who expected far less before the season.

It was an ending that couldn't have been written better, defining a storybook season that will be remembered for years to come in Missouri. 

Missouri Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz hoists the Field Scovell Trophy following their 14-3 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium :: Adam Cairns / USA Today Network

How'd We Get Here?

The beginning of Mizzou's 2023 season seemed like the Tigers were headed in a similar direction of years past. 

After defeating a mid-major South Dakota team 35-10 in its opening week, Mizzou struggled immensely in beating the Conference USA Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, only narrowly winning 23-19.

The questions and doubt immediately began to pour in Columbia, primarily revolving around the quarterback position. Much of the fan base was against Cook after his underwhelming 2022 campaign — although it was largely a result of injury – instead pushing for backup redshirt freshman Sam Horn to become the starter. 

A quarterback battle took place in those games to give Horn an opportunity, but Drinkwitz knew his starting quarterback was always going to be Cook. Week 3 proved why.

Heading into a matchup with No. 15 Kansas State, the odds were not in the favor of Mizzou. The Wildcats were expectedly performing as one of the best teams in the country, while the Tigers were struggling to beat weak non-conference opponents. 

But in a complete shock, Mizzou came out victorious off a 61-yard game-winning field goal from Harrison Mevis, upsetting Kansas State and setting an SEC record. Fans rushed the field, making for the first historic moment during a season that saw many. 

Cook was simply masterful, putting the quarterback debate to rest for good. The junior put up 356 passing yards and two touchdowns with 23-for-35 completions, finally emerging as the man who could lead Mizzou at the position. 

The game sparked Drinkwitz's eye-opening "Don't boo the starting quarterback" comments, which in hindsight, was effective in pushing the Tigers forward and removing the pent-up frustration of their fans over the years. 

The Tigers subsequently traveled to St. Louis and defeated Memphis in Week 3 and made quick work of Vanderbilt in Week 4. But then came LSU, which despite the nickname was a different kind of football animal — even though it was ranked No. 23 at the time compared to Mizzou's 21. 

All was going well in the first half, but a 22-point quarter from the visiting Tigers ended the undefeated season for Mizzou. While Cook put up 411 passing yards, Daniels' 259 passing and 130 rushing yards were more efficient in the 49-39 setback. 

Next on the schedule was No. 24 Kentucky on the road, which could have meant the end for the comeback season. Instead the Tigers prevailed 38-21, with the most notable play coming from Luke Bauer's fake punt touchdown pass to Marquis Johnson in the second quarter. 

“We ran it all week and I had a feeling we would run it," Bauer said after the game. “For a second I thought it wouldn't get there and then I saw him jump for it and I was like, ‘It's really happening.’”

Homecoming week faired much better than the Tigers' close contest to Vanderbilt in 2022, instead blowing South Carolina out by 22 points. It was a needed stressless win ahead of the toughest game on the schedule, two-time reigning national champion Georgia. 

Mizzou came so close to overcoming Georgia in 2022, only losing by four points in a nerve-wracking contest. This time the Tigers stood more of a chance, being ranked No. 14 to the Bulldogs No. 1. 

Much like the year before, Mizzou kept pace for the entirety of the first half, but began to collapse in the second half. Cook made his two worst plays of the entire season, one of which fell directly into defensive lineman Nazir Stackhouse's arms, sealing its fate. 

Falling short yet again could have sent the Tigers into a downward spiral for the rest of the season, especially with a matchup against No. 14 Tennessee up next on the schedule. 

Instead, once again the Tigers answered. More than that, they stomped on the Volunteers in "four quarters of hell."

Schrader had his true breakout game, rushing for 205 yards, along with five receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. He became the first player in SEC history to achieve that stat, putting his name on the spotlight across college football.

The game ended with Schrader being hoisted up above his teammates after a triumphant victory, which the senior considered as the "best moment of my entire life."

But wait, there's more. The legendary moments kept coming against Florida.

Down 31-30 with :38 remaining, Cook found a wide-open Burden in the middle of the field, converting a third-and-17 opportunity to reach the Gators’ 40. It was debatably the most iconic play of the season, keeping the 10-win hopes alive. 

From there the Tigers clawed their way down to the 30, allowing Mevis to drill his second game-winning field goal of the season.

To conclude a rollercoaster regular season, Mizzou blew out one of its biggest rivals in Arkansas, continuing its Battle Line winning streak, and all but guaranteeing a New Year’s Six bid.

It was only fitting to end the regular season with cigars in Fayetteville. After all, it was the first time the Tigers reached the 10-win mark since 2014, finally returning to the upper echelon of the SEC. 

Yet one more challenge awaited Mizzou, and it would take the Tigers down south to the "Lone Star State." 

A Different Mizzou

The culmination of Mizzou's resurgent season was set for Arlington, Texas, against the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes. 

It was going to be a tough battle against one of the top defenses in the nation, but with the recent departure of starting quarterback Kyle McCord and the absence of star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the Tigers certainly had a fighting chance even though they were missing a couple of key defensive starters.

The first half was anything but promising, however. The offense lagged and couldn't gain any momentum, while the Ohio State defense continued to put pressure on Cook by sacking him three times. 

The Buckeyes struggled just as much offensively, only scoring three points. Quarterback Devin Bush led them in his first star, but suffered a game-ending  injury in the second quarter that forced third-string true freshman Lincoln Kienholz to step into the role.

Everything the Tigers had been building all season long seemed to crash. Cook looked like his old self before Kansas State, and tensions started to rise. Even if it was only a three-point deficit, it felt like 20. Mizzou teams of recent years would've likely crumbled, but this team was different. 

Towards the end of the third quarter, the Tigers finally found some momentum. It started with a short completion to Theo Wease Jr., followed by a 10-yard run from Schrader. A costly penalty by Armand Membou set MIzzou back, but Cook came through with a 15-yard gain.

It all set up the quarterback finding an open Marquis Johnson down the field for a 50-yard gain. Capitalizing on the game-changing play, Schrader reached the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown.

Finally having a taste of success, and enjoying it, the Mizzou defense did its part by forcing Ohio State's eighth punt of the night, giving the offense a chance to put the game out of reach. And that's what it did. 

Wease broke the drive wide-open, receiving a 31-yard pass from Cook. Schrader did most of the work after, rushing for 31 yards alongside two from Cook to put the Tigers at second-and-goal. That gave way for tightly-thrown 7-yard pass to Burden, all but securing the victory.

Missouri Tigers wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. (1) celebrates after wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium :: Jerome Miron / USA Today Sports

Although the Tigers didn't need much more security, Daylan Carnell's forced fumble recovered by Joe Moore eliminated any doubt, capping off the night, and season, that few believed possible. 

The Tigers were never expected to get to this point. Most expected it to be another mediocre season to continue a downward trajectory of the program. But they weren't going to allow it. 

Drinkwitz saw what needed to be changed. He took the necessary step back from being a play-caller and stepped up as the locker room leader, and it responded.

Every player had a story behind their season. Some endured years of losing, some battled back from injury and one went from a walk-on to the SEC's rushing leader. It was a special group of players that came together at the perfect time, all having one common goal in mind: "Something to prove."

The win couldn't have come in a more defiant way of the season. Down on their luck with no momentum, only to overcome adversity and close out the game in the fourth quarter?

Only a "wilderness brotherhood" could do that. 

A Changing Trajectory 

The question is, did Mizzou prove that something it was seeking?

The answer is yes. The Tigers were a top-10 team in college football, defeated No. 7 Ohio State and won a Cotton Bowl championship. The program appears to be headed into a completely new direction, and the motto that carried the season played a part in that. 

Mizzou had undergone disappointment after disappointment for years, and needed to not only prove to the SEC that it belonged, and prove the doubters and the skeptics wrong, but prove to themselves that the hard work meant something. It did all of that and more, and achieved one of the biggest victories a team can get in college football.

But the journey for that team has come to an end. They accomplished nearly everything they set out for and set their foot back on the mountaintop. Yet now there's another to scale.

It's challenging to keep success going for consecutive seasons, but to solidify itself into a true SEC powerhouse, it has to grow higher than just the Cotton Bowl. A 12-team College Football Playoff expansion is on the horizon, giving Mizzou a better opportunity to compete for an NCAA championship.

The motto now for Drinkwitz?

"It's why stop now, he said. "We've worked really hard to get this opportunity, and we're not going to sit here and change."

But that also means that the next mountain is even bigger, and Mizzou will be losing key pieces and leaders like Schrader and Robinson. New players are going to have to step up and lead so the culture of a "wilderness brotherhood" stays together, which aren't always easy to come by.

Luckily, the Tigers will have plenty of returners, transfers and commits in 2024. Cook and Burden will be back with another year under their belts to command the offense, while a recruiting class headlined by highest-ranking defensive lineman Williams Nwaneri and a staunch transfer class will make their debuts to help bolster much of the gaps. 

The future is the brightest it has been for Mizzou in a decade, but it can't let the spotlight overshadow the work still ahead. 

"Everything's coming together now, but we do understand that the wind's twice as hard at the top of the mountain," Drinkwitz said. "So, whatever we did to achieve this year, it's going to be twice as hard. We're going to have to battle a whole new set of problems."

Drinkwitz isn't finished with rebuilding his program, just like this isn't the end of the road for Cook, Burden nor the rest of the returners. Mizzou still has a higher ladder to climb, and it's just getting started. 

The Cotton Bowl may have defined one season — in all of its storybook greatness — but it won't define the journey the Tigers embark on in 2024. 

That, they’ll have to re-define themselves. Just not yet. 

'A Stubborn Refusal to Quit': Mizzou Shows Grit and Chemistry in Cotton Bowl Win