Missouri 61-yard walk FG on no. 15 over Kansas State

After quarterback Brady Cook sacked them inside Kansas State territory in the final seconds, the Tigers had a chance to give their big-footed kicker a short try. But Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz was too slow to get his field goal unit down the field, and a delay of game penalty set the Tigers back 5 yards.

Cook started throwing an incomplete pass in the closing seconds, but that left just enough time for Mewis to work some magic. Sixty-one yards is the longest field goal in SEC history, according to ESPN Stats and Information Research.

Cook finished with 356 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Tigers (3-0), despite hobbling around with a sore leg. Luther Burton III finished with seven catches for 114 yards in another star-making performance, including two scoring grabs.

Will Howard threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns for the Wildcats (2-1), who had plenty of chances to put the game away but came up short on crucial third downs.

Ben Sinnott had 78 yards and two TD catches for Kansas State.

The Wildcats started like they finished in the rain a year ago, as they cruised to a 40-12 victory in the first meeting since Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC. Howard hit four different receivers while marching Kansas State down the field, and his third-and-goal throw to the Tigers’ J.C. It was tipped by Carlisle and fell into the hands of Phillip Brooks for the score.

Instead of starting a blowout, the touchdown started a back-and-forth affair.

Cook responded with a 47-yard touchdown heave to Burton that made Kansas State’s secondary look funny. Mewis’ field goal gave Missouri the lead after Howard threw a pick into tight coverage.

When the Wildcats answered with a swift touchdown drive, the Tigers again needed two big plays and about 2½ minutes. Cook capped the drive with a short run to send the lead to halftime at 17-14.

The Tigers quarterback appeared to suffer a leg injury late in the first half and began fumbling without Cook’s running ability to pressure the defense. Missouri punted twice to start the second half, and the Wildcats converted the first play on a long field goal by Chris Tennant, followed by Howard’s second TD pass to Sinnott for a 24-17 lead.

The Tigers rallied early in the fourth quarter, but only after squandering a first-and-goal opportunity.

The Wildcats had two chances to put the game away with a touchdown drive, but both times they came up short on short third downs. When Missouri took over after Howard’s third-and-1 pass fell incomplete, it needed two plays — Cody Schrader’s 26-yard run and a personal foul penalty, and Cook’s 26-yard TD pass to Burton — to go 77 yards and give Missouri a 27-24 lead. .

Kansas State wasted another third down, this time at the Missouri 3 with 5½ minutes left when Howard was called for timeout to delay the game. The Wildcats had to settle for a tying field goal and a frantic finish.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.