Boy, that didn’t feel like a win, did it?

After walking to a two-score lead in the first half of Saturday’s homecoming game, Missouri made just about every conceivable effort to lose their contest with Vanderbilt. Luckily, the Tigers’ defense is good and Vanderbilt in general is not, so we’re sitting on the other side of the weekend looking at a very sweaty 17-14 win.

Some key figures made their returns to the lineup after the bye week, including key defenders like Kris Abrams-Draine and Chad Bailey. Their impact was clear, as you’ll see by the rankings below. However, it was the starboy himself — “Touchdown” Luther Burden — who topped the voting after a dazzling first half. I guess he decided to take the second half off, though? Why else wouldn’t he be touching the ball?

1. Luther Burden

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I would like to point out a prediction I made in last week’s Pregamin’:

And believe me, I know how much of a limb I’m going out on here... but I think this is the game where Luther Burden truly explodes onto the scene. He’s too good to be kept in check too much longer and with a few weeks for his ankle to rest, I think he’s due to put up a banger in his first Homecoming game.

Six touches. 105 yards. Two touchdowns. A handful of breath-taking moments. That’ll play.

2. Kris Abrams-Draine

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In his return to the field after missing the last game due to an injury, Kris Abrams-Draine continued to show off his impressive growth. KAD tied for third on the team in tackles with five and led the secondary with three pass breakups, including a few key plays late. There are a lot of key pieces to Mizzou’s secondary, but KAD’s ceiling may be higher than anyone.

3. Jaylon Carlies

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Speaking off key pieces in the secondary! Carlies’ stats weren’t as sexy as some of his teammates, but his moments were certainly the loudest. Carlies absolutely detonated a Vanderbilt player in the first half for one of his two pass breakups and logged Missouri’s only takeaway of the game with an interception.

Others receiving votes: Chad Bailey, Cody Schrader

Now it’s your turn! Tell us who your MV3 are in the comments or on Twitter!