COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Brady Cook returned from injury to lead No. 19 Missouri to two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including Jamal Roberts' go-ahead score with 46 seconds left, as the Tigers escaped with a 21-17 victory over Auburn on Saturday.

Cook appeared to hurt his ankle on the opening series and didn't return until late in the third quarter, when Auburn took a 17-3 lead. But he immediately hit Theo Wease Jr. with a 72-yard pass to set up Marcus Carroll's touchdown run, then led an even more dramatic drive as time ran out in the fourth quarter.

Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) took control at its own 5-yard line with 4:26 left. Cook converted a third down with his legs and then hit Luther Burden III in the fourth and fifth for another first down. He hit Wease later in the drive on third-and-10 and found Mekhi Miller inside the 10-yard line with just over a minute left, setting up Roberts' touchdown run.

Cook finished the game with 194 passing yards in less than two quarters of play, while the Missouri defense repeatedly shut down Auburn (2-5, 0-4) when it had a chance to tie the game and did so for the fourth defeat in a row.

Payton Thorne finished the game with 176 yards passing and a touchdown. Antonio Kite recovered a botched punt for Auburn's other TD.

What should have been a showdown between two efficient offensive players – Auburn, which averages 444.5 yards, and Missouri, which leads the SEC in possession – turned into a defensive slugfest, thanks in part to the injuries that ravaged the Tigers.

The biggest one was Cook, their consistent senior, sliding to the turf on the first series of the game. He got up and hobbled to the sideline, then up the tunnel to the locker room, not returning until midway through the second half.

The score was 3-3 early in the second half when Auburn's Cam Coleman ran past Missouri's Dreyden Norwood and Marvin Burks Jr. and Thorne quickly hit him with a 47-yard touchdown strike down the middle of the field.

Auburn had an even bigger play moments later after Missouri forced a punt. Burden was hit trying to receive the kick at his own 5-yard line and the ball bounced into the end zone where Kite pounced on it and scored another point.

Shortly thereafter, Cook returned as the crowd at Faurot Field cheered and the entire picture of the game changed.

Takeaways

Auburn's only wins this season remain against Alabama A&M and New Mexico. The turnovers were the biggest problem, and Auburn lost another fumble on Saturday.

Missouri won thanks to some heroics from Cook, although his health will be something to keep an eye on going forward.

Next

Next Saturday evening, Auburn wraps up its three-game SEC road trip at Kentucky. Missouri returns to the road next Saturday to face seventh-seeded Alabama.

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