Missouri Football: The 10 best games of the 2010’s, to date

2014 Cotton Bowl vs. Oklahoma State

Okay, I’m biased because I was at this game, but there is no question that this was a sensational game, which was one of gut-wrenching excitement.

James Franklin did not play his best in his last game in a Tigers uniform, but the rest of the team picked him up and got the job done. Henry Josey ran for three touchdowns to make up for Franklin’s 15-for-40 night.

Oklahoma State outgained Mizzou, 548 to 462, and each team committed three turnovers, but the Tigers made plays when it mattered most.

Missouri started the scoring with a Josey touchdown, answered by a touchdown pass from Clint Chelf to Josh Stewart. In the second quarter, Maty Mauk hit Marcus Lucas for a score and a field goal, which made it 17-7 at the half.

In the third, Chelf threw his second touchdown, to make it 17-14 going into the fourth. OSU could have taken the lead, but a pick-six was called back for pass interference, which was a close call, but in the end it looked justified.

The Cowboys tied the game at 17, but Josey got his second score to make it 24-17. Chelf ran in from 24 yards to tie the game, and then Mizzou went back up with a field goal.

OSU answered and took their first lead with five minutes left as Desmond Roland ran in for a touchdown. Mizzou took a 34-31 lead on their next drive as Josey scored again and as OSU drove down the field again, I remember thinking how Michael Sam hadn’t made a big impact on the game. Then pronto, he came up with a sack on Chelf, forcing the fumble, and I just yelled out “fall on it,” as Shane Ray picked up the ball and took it the rest of the way for a touchdown to seal the 41-31 win in one of the most exciting fourth quarters I’ve ever seen.