3 takeaways from Mizzou's narrow escape against Vanderbilt

Mizzou entered Saturday’s home game against Vanderbilt as the No. 7 team in the country. The Commodores were coming in fresh off a loss to Georgia State.

That didn’t matter on Saturday in Columbia, as these teams appeared to be equals for most of the day.

In fact, the game between the 2 SEC squads went to overtime, which not many would have predicted heading into the contest.

Missed field goals from Mizzou and questionable coaching decisions plagued the Tigers all day long.

Much like they have early this season, penalties played a big role in the Tigers’ struggles. A roughing-the-passer call against the Tigers in OT was particularly impactful.

But at the end of the day, Vanderbilt made one more mistake than the Tigers, missing a field goal in double overtime to gift Mizzou a 30-27 win in double-OT.

If you’re looking for positive takeaways from Mizzou’s win to improve to 4-0 on the season, look elsewhere. This is going to read a lot like a column would if Mizzou lost.

Because that’s what this feels like — a lucky victory that the Tigers most certainly did not deserve.

Here are our biggest takeaways from Saturday’s 30-27 final score at Faurot Field:

1. Brady Cook needs to get going

This team is only going as far as its QB will take it. Thus far, Cook has only looked like a middle-of-the-road QB. His inability to consistently hit open receivers down the field is killing this offense.

He takes way too many ill-advised sacks.

He’s not as good as a runner as some would lead you to believe.

He has the potential to be a really solid college quarterback. Heck, he showed that potential just last year. This has not been the same version of Cook through 4 games.

In double-overtime, Cook airmailed a throw on third down to the end zone, leading the Tigers to have to attempt a field goal to take a 30-27 lead.

Fortunately for Cook and the Tigers, that final score held up.

2. The Tigers didn’t put their kicker in good positions

All too often, Harrison Mevis bailed out the Tigers after laughably bad decisions by Drinkwitz and his staff. Remember that record-setting kick against Kansas State last year?

Well, Blake Craig is a heck of a kicker, but he’s in his first year as the starter. He’s not as reliable yet as Mevis was.

Unfortunately, that didn’t stop Drinkwitz and OC Kirby Moore from repeatedly putting him in unenviable positions. Yeah, he should have made more than 3 of his 6 field-goal attempts, but his coaching staff didn’t help him out much.

And Vanderbilt’s missed kick in double overtime will overshadow Craig’s struggles.

3. Awful decision ahead of halftime

What were Cook and Drinkwitz thinking with the play call before halftime? It was 4th and 3 around midfield. The snap came with 12 seconds left. Cook took way too much time in the pocket and got sacked. That’s about the worst-case scenario for what could have happened in that moment.

That led to a Vanderbilt field goal to make it 13-10 Commodores at halftime. Drinkwitz always talks about winning the “middle 8” of the game — the last 4 minutes of the second quarter and the first 4 minutes of the third quarter.

This was not winning football.

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