Eli Drinkwitz analyzes Missouri's start vs. Kansas State

Missouri is in a tough battle with Kansas State early on in Columbia. The Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the back-and-forth game, before Missouri responded to tie the game at 7. The Tigers led 14-10 early in the second quarter.

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz spoke with the SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang at the end of the first quarter and shared what he has seen from his team thus far.

“So far we’re playing aggressive, just like we need to,” Drinkwitz said. “It was a slow start. Great turnover. And now we’re playing the way we’re supposed to.”

Kansas State drove right down the field and scored on the first drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead, before Missouri answered. Kansas State then threw an interception, which Missouri capitalized on with a field goal, to take a 10-7 lead.

Quarterback Brady Cook was excellent for Missouri early on.

The junior started 7-for-9 passing for 119 yards and a touchdown. Drinkwitz shared what he saw from his quarterback early on in the game.

“I think he’s making smart, disciplined decisions,” Drinkwitz said. “We’ve just got to convert on third downs and everybody else has got to help him in the run game.”

Missouri QB Brady Cook diagnosed with right knee sprain, will attempt to play through injury

While Missouri quarterback Brady Cook got off to a fast start, he went down with an injury during the second quarter of the matchup with Kansas State.

Cook left the game momentarily, before reentering.

He has a right knee sprain, according to Alyssa Lang of the SEC Network. Lang spoke with Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz at halftime and relayed what he had to say.

“He should be okay but he’s dealing with a right knee sprain,” Lang said of Cook after talking with Drinkwitz. “You see that sleeve over his right knee throughout warmups, he’s still been jogging around on it, making sure that leg feels good, that balance feels good. Just something I saw buckling at times over in the second quarter before we went to halftime as he was getting worked on it. But one thing is consistent; he is not going to get dragged out of this game if he can help it. He wants to be out there. He wants to compete with his team.”

Missouri and Kansas State have been playing a back-and-forth game all afternoon. As of midway through the third quarter, the two teams were tied.