Mizzou's Greatest, #70: 2014 Cotton Bowl

We continue with our updated Greatest rankings.

71-72. Brad Smith and Brad vs. Texas Tech (2003)
73. George Williams
74. Rhea Taylor
75. Bob Steuber
76. Melvin Booker
77-78. Mizzou's 1997 backfield and Corby vs. Nebraska
79. Clarence Gilbert vs. Kansas (2000)
80. Mizzou-Ohio State 1976
81. Sonny Riccio to Victor Sesay
82. Bill Stauffer
83. Al Eberhard
84. Godzilla eats West Virginia
85. Kim Anderson
86. Mizzou Baseball 1964
87. Danny LaRose
88. Mizzou-Notre Dame 1978
89. Mizzou-Iowa State 2001
90. Mizzou Basketball 2011-12
91. Mizzou signs No. 1

The 2013 season was already a rousing success. But it wouldn't have felt quite as successful without a happy ending. This game was at times more tense than well-played, but the fourth quarter featured two old friends and heavyweights trading knockouts like a Rocky fight. And the ending made it Great.

Full game Part 1 and Part 2

From my Top 100 Games of 2013 list:

An intense, mistake-filled game between old conference mates turned into a classic in the fourth quarter. Missouri led, 17-7, at halftime, thanks in part to a couple of long runs from backup quarterback Maty Mauk; Oklahoma State was completely shutting down Missouri's passing game with Michigan State-esque physical coverage, but Missouri's own defense was snuffing out challenges just the same.

In the third quarter, a couple of sloppy Mizzou turnovers gave OSU a path back into the game. Jhajuan Seales caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Clint Chelf after one fumble, and Ben Grogan tied it with a 25-yard field goal after another. Then, either the defenses gave out, or the offenses just clicked.

Missouri drove 60 yards in six plays and scored on a 25-yard Henry Josey run. 24-17, Mizzou. OSU went 75 yards in eight plays and scored on a beautiful, 23-yard run by Chelf to the right pylon. 24-24.

After pass interference nullified a Tyler Patmon interception, Missouri drove 47 yards, and Andrew Baggett, scapegoat of one of the top 10 games on this list, curled in a 46-yard field goal with room to spare. 27-24, Mizzou. Tracy Moore made a lunging, 41-yard catch third-and-4, and Desmond Roland carried a Mizzou defender for two yards into the end zone. 31-27, OSU.

On third-and-nine from the OSU 43, Mizzou's James Franklin, in easily his worst game of the year, stepped up and hit Dorial Green-Beckham open down the left sideline for 27 yards. Josey scored from 16 yards out on the next play. 34-31, MU, with 3:08 left.

OSU converted a huge fourth-and-seven with an over-the-middle pass to Marcell Ateman, and Chelf ran for 23 yards on third-and-10. But on third-and-seven at the Mizzou 23, an All-American made the play that sealed the game.