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Eli Drinkwitz Mistakenly Celebrating Missouri’s Missed Overtime FG Is All-Time Blooper

The Tigers’ coach thought his team walked it off on a 38-yard field goal in OT.
Tom Dierberger|
Drinkwitz was shocked to learn Missouri kicker Robert Meyer missed the game-winning field-goal attempt in overtime.
Drinkwitz was shocked to learn Missouri kicker Robert Meyer missed the game-winning field-goal attempt in overtime. | ESPN

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Missouri Tigers

All No. 16 Missouri needed in order to beat Auburn in the first overtime of Saturday night's game was a field goal. And for a split second, Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz thought he got it.

Drinkwitz watched from the sidelines as freshman kicker Robert Meyer lined up for a game-winning 38-yard field goal at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Meyer certainly got enough juice on the kick, as it sailed above the uprights—but it ended up just inches outside of the goal posts. The kick was no good.

Nobody told Drinkwitz that, however. As the kick sailed wide left, the 42-year-old pumped his fist and trotted out onto the field, looking ready to meet Auburn coach Hugh Freeze for the traditional midfield head-coaching handshake.

With a security guard running right behind him on the field, Drinkwitz realized way too late that the kick, indeed, was no good. He stopped in his tracks and held his arms out in confusion.

Oh no, coach.

Thankfully for Drinkwitz, the Tigers did beat Auburn 23–17 on Saturday night—it just took another overtime period. Beau Pribula scored a touchdown from three yards out in double OT, and the Tigers’ defense stopped Auburn on the ensuing possession.

“I’m so proud of the team. I’m proud of our fans,” Drinkwitz said after the game when asked about his heightened emotions after the win. “This place has come a long way—coming down [to Auburn] and expect to win the way we did, and find a way to win. That’s a really good football team. They’ve got players all over the field. ... But our guys went toe-to-toe with them.”

Missouri, now 6–1, will take on Vanderbilt (6–1) next Saturday, a matchup that could lure College GameDay over to Nashville for the first time since 2008.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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