Mizzou's Running Backs Help Save Potential Disaster in Win Over Vanderbilt

Missouri's passing game stalled for much of its overtime win against the Vanderbilt Commodores, but the run game behind Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll helped hold off a stunning loss.

Sep 21, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Nate Noel (8) looks on at the crowd following a win over the Vanderbilt Commodores at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Matt Guzman/Missouri on SI

COLUMBIA, Mo. — For the first time of the 2024 season, the Missouri Tigers were at a deficit exiting the first half Saturday evening.

The electric offense that was displayed in the previous few weeks suddenly collapsed against the Vanderbilt Commodores defense, putting up just 10 points before halftime. Missed opportunites and poor communication plagued the Tigers, but one specific decision caused the first true uproar of disagreement surrounding Faurot Field — snapping the ball with eight seconds remaining in the second quarter.

With a 4th and 3 position and the end of half just nearly reaching its conclusion, trying to go for it made little sense to begin with. And when Brady Cook was sacked by Khordae Sydnor for a loss of five yards — along with giving the Commodores solid field positioning — it all but cemented that Missouri would trail.

Brock Taylor stepped up to take a 56-yard field goal attempt, and just like that, Vanderbilt led 13-10.

To avoid shocking defeat in just its first game of conference play, Missouri's offense needed a jumpstart, and fast. It just wasn't going to come from the passing game.

Quarterback Brady Cook was underwhelming for much of the game, finishing with 226 passing yards, 23-of-37 completions and two touchdowns. On too many occassions, the senior missed wide-open receivers for big gains, especially in the red zone. But beyond that, the offensive play calling looked completely out of wack.

When Cook was forced to scramble or run the ball, the outcome wasn't any better. The typically strong rusher didn't have the same speed as demonstrated in previous games, slowly making decisions and getting tackled for losses.

Instead, Nate Noel and the running back room rose up for the challenge.

At the 8:49 mark of the third quarter, Noel exploded right past the Vanderbilt defense en route to a 64-yard gain, setting up a score at the Commodores' third-yard line. Marcus Carroll took the snap there, plowing through the middle to bring the score to 20-13 following Blake Craig's PAT attempt.

Obviously the expectation would've been for Noel to finish off the drive, but head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his staff decided to put the ball in Carroll's hands. It may have been surprising, but that wasn't a problem for Noel.

"I was happy for him," Noel said. "I was the first one to jump on the sideline and go meet him in the end zone. That's my guy."

Noel continued to make his presence known down the second half, continously working his way through Vanderbilt's defense and picking up first downs. Even when the Tigers found themsleves in another first of the season — an overtime period — he managed to keep making an impact down the stretch.

Without Noel's big day, it would've been difficult for Missouri to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Nate Noel balled out," Cook said. "Without him, we don't win the game...I'm just super happy for him."

Noel didn't score a touchdown amid his near 200-yard day, but often times the Tigers would not have been in scoring position if it wasn't for the sheer number of quality runs he had throughout the game. The red zone issues they had as a whole prevented him from scoring, not through his individual performance.

"Unbelievable," Drinkwitz said. "He's a special player, I think we"ve all noticed that. We just got to continue to finish drives for him."

Missouri has plenty it needs to work on before heading south to Texas A&M in two weeks, but for now, it can only relish in that it maintained a 4-0 record through a tension-filled game — thanks in large part to the running back room.