Eli Drinkwitz has '100-percent confidence' in Harrison Mevis after missed kick at Auburn
Missouri kicker Harrison Mevis is coming off of a tough weekend after missing a 26-yard game-winning field goal as regulation expired against Auburn. The miss resulted in overtime, where Auburn went on to win the game by three points. Despite the miss, head coach Eli Drinkwitz is still backing Mevis.
“He gets one shot at it,” Drinkwitz said of Mevis in his Tuesday press conference. “I’ve stood over many three-foot putts and yanked them. I have a hundred percent confidence in Harrison Mevis. That young man hit a game-winner, 37-yard field goal versus Arkansas in 2020. He had a 54-yarder versus Boston College to tie it up and send it to overtime. He’s got the career record for 50-yard field goals and one play is never going to define any one individual. So, we’ve got our confidence in him and I hate that it gets brought up so much because it means so much to this young man. He is disappointed but like I told him and like I would tell the team, one play is not going to define him. The next time he hits a game-winner I’m going to have a smile on my face knowing we were a part of that growth that allowed him to do that.”
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With under two minutes left, Missouri got the ball at its own 30-yard line and proceeded to drive all the way down to the Auburn eight-yard line with just two seconds left. But instead of sinking the game-winner, Mevis’ kick went high and to the right, failing to fall between the posts.
Mevis would not get the chance to redeem himself in overtime either. Auburn failed to score a touchdown but hit a 39-yard field goal from Anders Carlson to then put the ball in the Tigers’ hands. On second down, Nathaniel Peat ran the ball and looked like he was going to cruise into the end zone for the game-winning score. But Peat fumbled, resulting in a touchback and the game ending.
For Missouri, it was a possibly season-altering game. The Tigers would have improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the league with the win. Instead, they now sit at 2-2 overall, 0-1 in the SEC and things are not going to get any easier, as they now host No. 1 Georgia this weekend.
The Tigers will have their hands full with the Bulldogs but could turn things around massively with a win. Kickoff between the two teams is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT at Faurot Field in Colombia, Mo.