Why all the celebrations were significant. 10 thoughts from the field after Mizzou beat Arkansas

Missouri football did it. The Tigers claimed a sixth win and bowl eligibility. The game was phenomenal, the celebration was outstanding.

Here are 10 thoughts from the field as the clock wound to 0:00, Missouri beat Arkansas and the players celebrated their newly clinched bowl berth.

1. Everyone took a moment. Freshmen or seniors, offense or defense, it didn't make a difference.

As the clock struck zero, the Tigers' celebration hit 100.

They jumped for joy. They hugged. They cried. It was an explosion of emotion that began on the field and culminated in cigars in the locker room.

You can point out the sixth win isn't that impressive, considering the Tigers could easily have had eight or nine this year. But that's another conversation for another time. At this moment in time, only the celebration mattered.

Missouri's season featured resounding highs and near-back-breaking lows. All that emotion was at the forefront on the field after the game. The Tigers didn't care what anyone was saying, they got the job done.

In the process, Brady Cook played his best game of the year, Isaiah McGuire looked like an NFL defensive lineman and Dominic Lovett looked like a top-tier SEC receiver.

It all added up to a win, and after the celebration began the Tigers ran to the edge of the bleachers to visit friends family and fans. Cody Schrader stood on the Arkansas bench and yelled to the fans in the jubilee. Barrett Banister was nearly inseparable from the Battle Line Trophy.

This column will look at some significant moments I witnessed in the post-game celebration.

2. Ennis Rakestraw summed up the year in an exchange with a fan.

As Rakestraw was walking off the field, a fan called out to him. That fan, in colorful language, told Rakestraw the pass interference foul the refs called on him in the fourth quarter was, well, cow manure.

Rakestraw was diplomatic. He could have agreed, talked some smack or anything else. He just pointed out how the Tigers finished that drive.

"I got us back," Rakestraw said.

With Missouri finishing 6-6 in the regular season, that's a great way to describe the year.

Finishing .500 means Missouri had to take some losses. Six of them, in this case. It also meant that MU would have to win six games of its own.

You have to give the Tigers credit for finding ways to bounce back. When they needed a win, they got it.

They needed to beat Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech and Abilene Christian. Check. Missouri then had to find a win elsewhere, that opportunity came on the road at South Carolina. Check. Finally, MU needed to clinch a bowl game. Arkansas was the last chance. Check, emphatically.

That drive Rakestraw finished included a first and goal-to-go situation. He was flagged for pass interference, and Arkansas had three or four plays to take the lead with a touchdown. On third and goal, Rakestraw bounced back and deflected a pass to force fourth down.

Arkansas, down five, settled for a field goal from the two. Rakestraw got the defense back, just like the team got itself back into bowl contention.

3. Isaiah McGuire deservedly got his chance to revel in the moment.

The emotion just kept coming for McGuire. The defensive end had tears as his teammates surrounded him and he lifted the Battle Line Rivalry trophy.

The moment was well-deserved for one of the most under-appreciated defensive studs in the SEC. Especially after he displayed incredible toughness.

After the game, Eli Drinkwitz said McGuire suffered a separated AC joint in last week's game against New Mexico State. McGuire, choosing to play against Arkansas, had two sacks. He was a big reason why the MU pressure was consistently making a difference.

There might not have been a player more important on MU's defense Saturday than McGuire. He was the unquestioned leader of the unit that terrorized KJ Jefferson with seven sacks. As he was walking off the field Friday, McGuire buried his head in his hands for just a second and pulled his head up quickly.

Ty'Ron Hopper deservedly got his props as perhaps the best player on the defense for MU. If McGuire is behind Hopper, then it's not by much. McGuire is the best player up front and it wasn't close. He led the team with 7.5 sacks in the regular season.

On Saturday, at MU's football banquet, McGuire was given an invite to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, which is an invitational showcase for seniors in college football to work with NFL coaches.

Whether or not that means McGuire is skipping MU's bowl game remains to be seen. Even if he doesn't play, that won't take away from the player he made himself into, which is an NFL-caliber defensive lineman.

4. Kristian Williams and Darius Robinson can share in McGuire's success.

As good as McGuire was, there was a slew of standout defenders behind him that made the pass rush potent.

Williams and Robinson were key pieces that made up the defensive line's rotation this year, and they were productive on Friday. The two combined for two sacks and three tackles for loss.

The two also understood the assignment when it comes to bringing down a player like Jefferson. They used brute strength to bring the quarterback down, which looked about as fun as trying to wrangle a semi-truck on I-70 with a pair of shoelaces.

Credit them for applying that pressure all game. McGuire's effort was second to none, but he wasn't the only one that left it all out on the field.

After everyone had left the field, Robinson remained. He stood at the seven-yard line and stared across the emptying stadium with the rock block "M" staring back. On Nov. 15, Robinson said he hadn't made a decision on his future, perhaps that was part of him deciding on his future.

Williams is in the opposite situation. He'll be back next year. He stood near the south end zone goalpost, leaned back and let out an elongated "Woah." Williams factored in with a fourth-quarter sack that factored into a three-and-out, which resulted in a blocked punt.

He'll be a fixture in MU's defensive rotation next year to be certain.

5. Luther Burden's child-like joy.

The first 12-game regular season for the biggest recruit in Missouri program history finished Friday.

Burden caught 38 passes for 329 yards and five touchdowns in that first year. He also rushed for two scores and returned a punt for a touchdown. He proved how

"We're going bowling," Burden exclaimed over and over as he left the field.

He was a kid in a candy store. Or, a fox in a hen house. Burden gets to be the fox one more time and tantalize an opposing defense in a bowl game.

Burden did that against Arkansas with a 23-yard touchdown on a short pass where he was one-on-one with a Hogs' defender. The freshman just evaded one tackle and was gone. He's good at that, and it made me wonder how many more times coaches will decide to leave defenders on an island with Burden.

His final numbers aren't eye-popping, but his plays are. Brady Cook said it last week.

"Obviously, when you get Luther the ball he can do stuff that makes you say, ‘Whoa,’” Cook said after beating New Mexico State.

Burden was behind Dominic Lovett in terms of production, which was a good thing for MU's offense. The Tigers found a breakout star that can keep getting better.

But, Burden can get there, too. Combining that set of skills with a year of experience, and potentially some positional upgrades elsewhere, and it's fair to expect a similar year with Burden next year.

If he's that excited about earning a bowl berth at 6-6, then imagine how excited he'll be if MU wins a signature game.

6. Mekhi Miller, Friday's hero.

One of the biggest heroes Friday was a freshman wide receiver that was a major part of the 2022 recruiting class Drinkwitz brought in.

It wasn't Burden. It was four-star receiver Mekhi Miller who made two of the game's biggest plays. Miller was in the middle of the celebration like he was a veteran player. He earned that status against Arkansas.

Miller was a special teams ace. He was also Banister's replacement as the sixth-year senior couldn't go. He excelled at both roles.

Miller got a hand on an Arkansas punt that gave MU the ball at Arkansas' 35-yard line. The ensuing drive resulted in a missed field goal, but it didn't give the Hogs a chance to pin the Tigers deep in their own territory.

That play didn't match up to his 22-yard reception on third and four at the MU 20 yard-line. Cook trusted the young receiver, who made a reception in traffic and got a massive first down. Miller had convinced his coaches he was ready for the moment, and it paid off.

"‘No, he’s gonna be the guy,’" Drinkwitz said his coaches told him this week. "He had to make a heck of a catch.”

Miller's first down allowed MU to burn the last of Arkansas' timeouts and run the clock down to just 24 seconds remaining. That left no time for an organic comeback and forced the Hogs to depend on the hook-and-ladder play.

They were two plays that changed the outcome of the game. Had Miller not made those plays, Missouri might not be bowl eligible.

7. One legacy Martez Manuel leaves behind.

Columbia's favorite football son was emotional. He was everywhere, hugging, celebrating and living in the moment.

Manuel, who posted on Instagram prior to the Tennessee game that this was his last road trip, has spoken before about moving on this year.

Whether that's to the NFL, where he could carve a niche out for himself and could build up his draft stock with a solid showing in postseason combines or other opportunities, or in the transfer portal with another program, Manuel still leaves behind a track of success at MU.

"Never knew how far I could take this, best 4 years of my life," Manuel wrote in a tweet on Twitter. "No regrets…thank you lord."

The Tigers' record in Manuel's four years is 23-24, with that extra loss coming in the Armed Forces Bowl that Manuel did not play in. But, that's not the record to focus on after Friday.

At SEC Media Days, Manuel said he considered Kentucky to be more of a rival to MU than Arkansas is. The record in recent years proves that.

Arkansas-Mizzou has a bit of a Williams-Sharapova feel to it. There's the pomp and circumstance, a trophy and late-season drama that comes with it. But, what about the competition?

Tennis aficionados know there was no rivalry between Williams and Sharapova. In fact, Williams was 20-2 all-time against Sharapova. For reference, MU has won six of the last seven against the Hogs and remains a perfect 6-0 at home against Arkansas. Overall, the Tigers are 7-2 against Arkansas since moving to the SEC.

It'll take more time and wins to say MU is that dominant against the Hogs, but Manuel helped continue that.

The Hogs' win last year came in Fayetteville during a breakout season. The ranked Razorbacks had Jefferson playing like an All-SEC player and had an eventual first-round draft pick in receiver Treylon Burks.

This year, players like Manuel, who have been with the Missouri program for years, earned that trophy back. That's a real legacy Manuel can hold on to.

8. One of Barrett Banister's finest hours.

Friday night may not have meant more to anyone than Banister. What stung the most, though, was that he didn't play.

He suffered an injury against New Mexico State. Banister dressed, but never got a chance to see the field. He was center stage for the trophy presentation, however.

"That trophy means a hell of a lot to him," Drinkwitz said.

After someone has dedicated over half a decade to anything, finishing it properly is the best way to leave it behind. His six years of college football were pinned between coaches: three with Barry Odom and three with Drinkwitz.

Not being able to play against Arkansas must have been painful. That's why he wasted no time with the trophy celebration.

Banister picked up the middle part of the trophy, which was an MU-colored gold bar that replaced the cardinal color to represent Arkansas, and held it affectionately. Banister took his time leaving the field, too.

His final home game at Faurot Field, and he got to walk off with a smile.

"It’s big for Barrett," Lovett said. “He’s from Arkansas, so that was a good win, just to see the seniors go out on a good note. That one right there kind of touched my heart.”

9. Everyone's preferred bowl game.

Drinkwitz didn't shy away from the idea of a Dec. 17 bowl game out west.

He actually made sure to ask everyone in the postgame press conference. Where is everyone's preferred destination? "Las Vegas" was the resounding answer.

"That's what I was hoping you'd say," Drinkwitz said, albeit in a joking sense.

Those weren't the only minds set on Sin City.

I didn't catch who it was on the field, but a player was yelling "Vegas, baby!" while running off the field. I mean, why wouldn't they?

Las Vegas plays at Allegiant Stadium, which, aside from being a gorgeous stadium fit for an NFL franchise, is in a dome. No weather conditions to worry about in what would be optimal conditions.

It would also pit Missouri against a Pac-12 team. The last time MU played a Pac-12 team was when the Tigers hosted Arizona State in a 24-20 win. It would certainly be a matchup that has no regional or historical ties for Missouri. The only Pac-12 team that MU has a past with is Colorado, and, while that history is well-documented, the Buffaloes are 1-10.

In fact, the Tigers have played three games against Pac-12 teams since 2006:

• 2012, 24-20 win over Arizona State at Faurot Field.

• 2011, a 37-30 loss at Arizona State.

• 2006, a 39-38 loss to Oregon State in the Sun Bowl, back when the Pac-12 was the Pac-10.

Missouri or not, 2022 will serve as the second time in Las Vegas Bowl history that an SEC team will play in the game. The only other SEC team to play in the Las Vegas Bowl was Arkansas in 2000, a 31-14 loss to UNLV.

The Liberty Bowl was present at Faurot Field Friday, handing out pamphlets for the game on Dec. 28 against a Big 12 opponent. But, hey, Vegas baby.

10. The coach that brought them there.

Drinkwitz, master of the sly quip and irritant of sports radio hosts everywhere, is slowly coming into his own.

He hugged everyone he could find. It wasn't a passing hug, either. Drinkwitz made sure he embraced them in full as he began celebrating.

How can you not credit the coach who came to Missouri lauded as a modern offensive mind, but changed his entire approach to how he leads the MU program? In the past few weeks, Drinkwitz shared play-calling duties with quarterbacks coach Bush Hamdan. Hamdan was switched to the quarterback coaching duties after Drinkwitz hired Jacob Peeler to coach the wide receivers.

Prior to Hamdan, Drinkwitz coached the quarterbacks. He had to be honest with himself and dedicate more time to being a head coach. He made a similar decision with playcalling, saying going to Hamdan was his way of trying to create a spark.

It takes a difficult, but healthy, amount of self-reflection to make those changes, but Drinkwitz has won games because of it.

Scoring 29 points on Barry Odom's defense in the most important game of the season, after a season's worth of offensive struggles, were present was a step forward. Plus, South Carolina's last two wins over Tennessee and Clemson made MU's win over the Gamecocks look exponentially better.

Now, earning a bowl win at 6-6 in year three would be a much sweeter way to begin year four. It would also mean success can come under Drinkwitz.

After his first year ended in a Covid-related cancelation, and last year ended with a bowl loss, ending a year with a bowl win would mean Drinkwitz's tenure is moving in the right direction.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 10 thoughts from field the after Mizzou beat Arkansas